With regulatory approval and restaurant rollouts underway, Vow makes history as the first startup to serve cultured meat in Australia and New Zealand.
In a landmark moment for the food tech industry, Vow (startup) has become the first company approved to serve cultivated meat in Australian restaurants. Following years of scientific development and regulatory review, the Australian-born company’s cultured Japanese quail will debut at more than 50 high-end dining venues across Melbourne and Sydney in the coming weeks.
The announcement comes after Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) amended its Food Standards Code to allow the sale of cell-cultivated quail, marking a major shift in how alternative proteins are regulated in the region. Vow’s approval now places Australia and New Zealand among the most progressive jurisdictions globally for cellular agriculture—second only to the U.S. in implementing a dedicated regulatory pathway.
A Gourmet Debut: Cultivated Quail Hits Menus
Vow’s first product, sold under its premium brand Forged, includes items like parfait and foie gras made from lab-grown Japanese quail. These dishes will be featured at acclaimed venues such as The Lincoln and Bottarga in Melbourne, and Nel, The Waratah, and Kitchen by Mike in Sydney.
“This isn’t about replacing traditional meats. It’s about creating something entirely new, something only possible through innovation,” said Mike McEnearney, chef and owner of Kitchen by Mike, who will also serve as Vow’s first Australian brand ambassador.
Vow (Startup) Scales Fast, Despite Industry Headwinds
Founded with a bold vision to reinvent meat, Vow (startup) has rapidly scaled its production capabilities. It recently completed the world’s largest cultivated meat harvest—a 538 kg batch—and now operates a 20,000-litre bioreactor, the largest of its kind for food-grade cell culture. The company expects to reach monthly production volumes of 10,800 kg by the end of the year.
With over $55 million in funding—a relatively lean budget compared to competitors like Upside Foods ($608M) or Eat Just ($270M)—Vow has established itself as a global frontrunner in the cultivated meat race. It is now the only startup approved to sell in three markets: Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.
Shaping Global Regulatory Momentum
FSANZ’s approval is also significant for the broader cultivated meat sector. By introducing new standards specifically for cell-cultured foods, regulators have signaled a clear path for future applications. According to Kim Tonnet of Cellular Agriculture Australia, this move will “reduce uncertainty and speed up the regulatory process for other startups.”
Labeling requirements will ensure transparency: products must be clearly marked as “cell-cultured” or “cell-cultivated” if associated with the animal of origin.
A New Culinary Chapter for Australia
Industry experts say this moment could mark a “momentum shift” away from the U.S., where cultivated meat has become mired in political controversy and bans. In contrast, Australia’s embrace of this next-gen protein opens the door to international trade, especially across meat-hungry Asian markets.
“With meat consumption on the rise and traditional farming under pressure, cultivated proteins offer a sustainable, scalable solution,” said Mirte Gosker of the Good Food Institute. “Australia is well-positioned to lead in this space.”
Forging the Future of Food
Despite recent headwinds—including a 30% workforce reduction earlier this year due to regulatory delays—Vow (startup) has shown resilience. Co-founder and CEO George Peppou described the cutbacks as a strategic move from a “position of strength.”
Vow’s entry into the Australian market signals not just regulatory progress, but cultural acceptance. Its Forged products have already seen 200% month-over-month growth in Singapore, and early interest from Australia’s culinary elite suggests even broader appeal is on the horizon.
“This is more than a new product—it’s a new category,” Peppou said. “And Australia’s just getting started.”
