Vow was founded in 2019[1] by George Peppou (CEO) and Tim Noakesmith (CCO).[5][6] In July 2019, Vow demonstrated a kangaroo dumpling, the first non-farmed meat demonstrated using cultured meat technology.[1][7] In August 2020 they demonstrated a further five species in partnership with Australian chef Neil Perry.[8] During 2020 the company was criticised for plans to produce zebra meat.[9]
In August 2021, the company announced they were developing hybrid products containing cultured meat and ingredients produced using precision fermentation technology.[10] The company said that work was being done in the areas of chicken, crocodile, kangaroo and water buffalo meat.[11] During an interview on The Drum in January 2022, the company announced their first product will be crocodile and launching in Singapore.[12]
In November 2022 Vow announced they are launching Morsel, cultured Umai Quail.[13] In 2023, it developed a "mammoth meatball" as a publicity stunt, which was put on display at Museum Boerhaave.[14] The meatball was made from portions of lamb, mammoth, and African elephant DNA, piecing together DNA similar to the mammoth genome, then grown in a sheep muscle cell.[14] New Zealand and Australian regulatory bodies began reviewing Vow's cultured meat products for regulatory approval in December 2023.[15] Singapore was the first government to approve the meat for commercial sale in early 2024.[16][17] That month, Vow began selling its first commercial product, Forged Parfait, made with Japanese quail cells. As of 2024, it is only available in Singapore, where cultured meat has been approved by regulators.[2] Regulatory approval in Australia is pending.[16]
Product offerings
It develops and markets cultured meat products.[4] Vow is the name of the company, whereas its consumer brand is called Forged.[2] The meat is grown over a four-week process.[2] Japanese quail cells multiply in a bioreactor with vitamins, amino acids, and minerals.[2] The process is similar to a sourdough culture or brewery.[18] The company produces various meat products using biotechnology to induce stem cells to differentiate into muscle tissue, connective tissue and other tissue types and to manufacture the meat products in bioreactors.
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