Czech startup BeneMeat Technologies is advancing efforts to market cultivated meat in Europe and beyond. In 2026, the company aims to have a pet food product using its cultivated meat biomass in the market.
Simone Stringhetti, the company's feeding studies coordinator and business development specialist, told Petfood Industry that 2025 was a period of steady and systematic progress for the business.
"We do not focus on individual milestones but rather on long-term, consistent work that moves us closer to our goals step by step," Stringhetti said.
Earlier this year, the Czech startup initiated a new program, dubbed Try & Share, with the aim to encourage clients across the European Union to offer dog treats that contain cultivated meat to their pets.
"One of the internal steps that was meaningful for us this year was the successful pan-European Try & Share Program, which helped us gather real pet owner feedback and deepen our understanding of market needs," Stringhetti said. "We are currently considering launching a similar, expanded program in the near future to continue this crucial market validation and consumer engagement. Overall, each year is an opportunity for us to learn, validate our direction and gradually improve."
Construction of a new 200-ton-per-year production facility where BeneMeat Technologies will make cultivated meat for trials, samples, and product development activities together with its business partners is one of the company's key projects.
Asked about BeneMeat Technologies' plans for 2026, Stringhetti said the producer's priorities lie in further internal research, refinement of its cell lines, upscaling process optimization, and maintaining stable progress in the regulatory field in the European Union and beyond.
"Our ambitious goal is to have a pet food product utilizing our cultivated meat biomass on the market in 2026. We are working diligently to make this a reality, but we prefer not to announce further specific details prematurely," she said. "Our focus remains on what is certain: ongoing robust research and the continued development of our technologies. It is paramount for us to move responsibly and in full accordance with all regulatory requirements specific to novel feed/food ingredients.
"At the moment, our focus remains squarely on internal development, preparing for a successful product launch into the pet food sector, and ensuring we meet the highest safety and quality standards before introducing our cultivated meat products to the market," added Stringhetti.
Based in the Czech capital Prague, BeneMeat Technologies has worked on its product since 2020. The company is part of BTL Group.
Fressnapf advances international expansion
European pet retailer Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo has reported the opening of 35 new stores in the third quarter of 2025, bringing the total to 111, and advancing the company's plan to close last year with at least 180 new openings.
"At the same time, the group introduced its Urban Store concept, a compact, curated format designed specifically for metropolitan areas and tailored to the needs of urban pet owners," the pet retailer said in a statement. "The company's omnichannel proposition continued to gain relevance, supported by the completed rollout of Click & Collect in Germany and the further scaling of Pick-from-Store capabilities. These developments enhance convenience for customers and contribute to higher operational agility."
Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo said in early December 2025 that, over the past 12 months, the chain's revenue reached the level of €3.6 billion (US$4.2 billion), which represented an increase of 2% year-on-year.
"International expansion remained a central driver of growth," noted the retailer.
