Emergence client Because Animals was featured in Modern Farmer where they discuss healthy and sustainable food options for pets.
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“Pet food follows human food,” says Shannon Falconer, CEO of Because Animals. “Many people think of their pets as family members. [More people are following] a diet that’s sustainable and mindful and want to do the same for pets.”
Along with Joshua Errett, Falconer founded Because Animals five years ago with a goal to create a healthy and sustainable option for the world’s pets. “We have very few options when it comes to feeding dogs and cats,” says Falconer. “There’s a strong misconception that pet food is made from byproducts of human food. I began to learn how untrue that really is.”
Falconer, who has a PhD in microbial chemical biology, set out to create a cell-cultured meat that could be fed to pets. The process involves taking “a small collection of cells from the [live] animal, and then never going back to the animal again,” she says.
Because Animals started by sourcing cells from mice for cat food, and rabbits for dog food, reflecting their diets in the wild. The cells are then grown in a nutrient-rich environment outside the animal. Falconer and her team feed the cells a mixture of protein, vitamins and other necessary nutrients and put them into a device called a bioreactor, which functions as a sort of womb. The cells grow, divide and eventually form into tissue, which is effectively cultured meat. It has the same nutritional value and composition as animal-based meat, but without the need to raise or slaughter animals.