Latest news with #Forged
Time Out
25-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Australia has officially become the third country in the world to approve lab-grown meat
From beyond meat and insect protein to vegan cheese and 3D-printed seafood, the past decade has dished up some bold food trends. Now, Australia's getting a taste of the future with the official approval for lab-grown (or cell-cultured) meat to be sold and consumed across the country. It's taken more than two years for Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to give the green light to lab-grown meat, which it granted to Sydney-based startup Vow on June 18. Founded in 2019, Vow has been selling its cultivated Japanese quail foie gras to more than 25 high-end restaurants in Singapore for a year under the name 'Forged'. The Asian country made history in late 2020 as the first country to approve cultivated meat, followed by the United States in mid-2023 with lab-grown chicken. This makes Australia officially the third country in the world to approve lab-grown meat for sale and consumption. Photograph: Supplied | Vow So, how exactly is cultured meat made at Vow? It all starts with selecting the perfect cells from an animal. These cells are then placed in a huge fermentation tank with a nutrient-rich liquid, which is designed to replicate the body of a living animal. From there, the cells grow and multiply naturally. After just 79 days, a 'harvesting' process occurs where the meat is separated from the liquid, like curds from whey, and then crafted into delicacies like parfait and foie gras. Quail might seem like an odd choice, but that's exactly the point – Vow intentionally steered away from everyday meats like chicken or beef to avoid direct comparisons. Rather than competing for shelf space at the supermarket, the startup is also focusing on fine dining. Its cultured Japanese quail foie gras is set to debut on menus at Sydney's Kitchen by Mike, NEL, Olio and The Waratah, plus Bottarga, 1Hotel and The Lincoln in Melbourne – all within the next few months, if everything goes to plan. Photograph: Supplied | Vow Vow originally created the product to address global food shortages, but cultivated meat also carries potential environmental and ethical benefits – it's made without farms, emissions or animal harm. That said, as a niche product, it comes with high costs and energy demands. There's also ongoing debate around how it should be labelled, with concerns that using the word 'meat' and livestock imagery on packaging could mislead consumers. Would you be game to give it a go? A 2023 FSANZ survey of Australians and New Zealanders found that only 24 per cent would readily incorporate it into their diets, with almost half (48 per cent) saying they wouldn't. But the food world is moving fast – so who knows what our dinner plates will look like in a decade? Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Australia newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED:
Sydney Morning Herald
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Lab-grown meat just became legal. Is it any good?
They are more ingredients than finished products, leaving room for chefs to add their twist. Italian chef Mirco Febrille, of Singapore's Bar Somma, has made a tortellini filled with Forged parfait in a hay-infused broth. 'Chefs are the artists of the food world. They're the ones that ultimately drive food culture,' said Peppou. Working closely with chefs also ensures quality control and a positive experience for wary first-timers. 'A lot of consumers' first contact [with meat-replacement products] was in retail. They brought it home, they cooked it badly and they were like, 'this shit product tastes like a hockey puck',' said Peppou. Chef and Vow ambassador Mike McEnearney will serve his popular sourdough bread with Pepe Saya butter and a cultured quail butter at Kitchen by Mike, and his new Melbourne restaurant inside 1Hotel, From Here By Mike, will feature a pan-fried 'Forged gras' on a bed of lentils. The bar upstairs will serve Forged parfait on toasted brioche. 'How often does something brand new come to market? That's what got me,' McEnearney said. 'I'd describe it [to customers] as a different way of farming … it's an educational process,' he added. 'It's not replacing anything. It's helping to support sustainable farming methods.' Food regulatory body Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has also passed updated definitions of genetically modified food to address progress in gene technologies while maintaining strong food safety protections, which the regulator says brings Australia in line with international approaches and will ensure the right labelling and oversight. 'Our safety assessment confirms that many modifications achieved through new breeding techniques are equivalent to those from conventional breeding, which is widely recognised as safe,' said FSANZ chief Dr Sandra Cuthbert. How lab-grown meat gets made The process of making lab-grown or cultured meat, this masthead was told in a tour of Vow's factory (sometimes referred to as Sydney's first 'meat brewery'), isn't too dissimilar to the fermentation process in brewing beer. A biopsy, or small tissue sample, of an animal – in this case, a quail – is taken and placed into a 20,000-litre temperature-controlled fermentation tank, which is designed to replicate the body of a quail. Hot water lines the tank, for warmth; oxygen and glucose are pumped in the tank, where the tissue scraping is given plenty of space to grow over the course of a month. 'Harvesting' then occurs every two to three days for about a month, where three-quarters of the glucose mix is removed from the tank and topped up for the growing process to continue. The liquid is then poured into a separator, which sorts out the liquid from the solid meat matter, akin to curd, or blitzed chicken mince. To sell their products, Vow had to undergo, and co-design, a lengthy regulatory process with food regulatory body – because the category of lab-grown meat didn't exist yet. Loading 'We are so new, we don't fit into any of the boxes for the food system,' said Peppou. 'Everything which is trivial, should be trivial, is really complex for us.' Peppou's first time trying his own products in a restaurant was April last year, alongside 14 influencers in a members-only club in Singapore. Now, he will be able to try it in his hometown with his parents at a six-course degustation at Italian restaurant Olio in Chippendale, or the Waratah Hotel with his mates. Now that Vow has FSANZ approval, the NSW Food Authority will conduct a final audit before awarding a food manufacturers' licence, which will allow it to sell in Australia. It's been a long journey for Peppou, who had to make 30 per cent of his staff redundant in January. The former biochemist is already eyeing other markets, including the UK, Middle East, and is working with nine regulators.
The Age
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Lab-grown meat just became legal. Is it any good?
They are more ingredients than finished products, leaving room for chefs to add their twist. Italian chef Mirco Febrille, of Singapore's Bar Somma, has made a tortellini filled with Forged parfait in a hay-infused broth. 'Chefs are the artists of the food world. They're the ones that ultimately drive food culture,' said Peppou. Working closely with chefs also ensures quality control and a positive experience for wary first-timers. 'A lot of consumers' first contact [with meat-replacement products] was in retail. They brought it home, they cooked it badly and they were like, 'this shit product tastes like a hockey puck',' said Peppou. Chef and Vow ambassador Mike McEnearney will serve his popular sourdough bread with Pepe Saya butter and a cultured quail butter at Kitchen by Mike, and his new Melbourne restaurant inside 1Hotel, From Here By Mike, will feature a pan-fried 'Forged gras' on a bed of lentils. The bar upstairs will serve Forged parfait on toasted brioche. 'How often does something brand new come to market? That's what got me,' McEnearney said. 'I'd describe it [to customers] as a different way of farming … it's an educational process,' he added. 'It's not replacing anything. It's helping to support sustainable farming methods.' Food regulatory body Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has also passed updated definitions of genetically modified food to address progress in gene technologies while maintaining strong food safety protections, which the regulator says brings Australia in line with international approaches and will ensure the right labelling and oversight. 'Our safety assessment confirms that many modifications achieved through new breeding techniques are equivalent to those from conventional breeding, which is widely recognised as safe,' said FSANZ chief Dr Sandra Cuthbert. How lab-grown meat gets made The process of making lab-grown or cultured meat, this masthead was told in a tour of Vow's factory (sometimes referred to as Sydney's first 'meat brewery'), isn't too dissimilar to the fermentation process in brewing beer. A biopsy, or small tissue sample, of an animal – in this case, a quail – is taken and placed into a 20,000-litre temperature-controlled fermentation tank, which is designed to replicate the body of a quail. Hot water lines the tank, for warmth; oxygen and glucose are pumped in the tank, where the tissue scraping is given plenty of space to grow over the course of a month. 'Harvesting' then occurs every two to three days for about a month, where three-quarters of the glucose mix is removed from the tank and topped up for the growing process to continue. The liquid is then poured into a separator, which sorts out the liquid from the solid meat matter, akin to curd, or blitzed chicken mince. To sell their products, Vow had to undergo, and co-design, a lengthy regulatory process with food regulatory body – because the category of lab-grown meat didn't exist yet. Loading 'We are so new, we don't fit into any of the boxes for the food system,' said Peppou. 'Everything which is trivial, should be trivial, is really complex for us.' Peppou's first time trying his own products in a restaurant was April last year, alongside 14 influencers in a members-only club in Singapore. Now, he will be able to try it in his hometown with his parents at a six-course degustation at Italian restaurant Olio in Chippendale, or the Waratah Hotel with his mates. Now that Vow has FSANZ approval, the NSW Food Authority will conduct a final audit before awarding a food manufacturers' licence, which will allow it to sell in Australia. It's been a long journey for Peppou, who had to make 30 per cent of his staff redundant in January. The former biochemist is already eyeing other markets, including the UK, Middle East, and is working with nine regulators.
The Verge
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Posted Jun 18, 2025 at 4:56 AM EDT
Australia's first cultured meat is... quail? Sydney-based Vow is the first lab-grown meat manufacturer approved to launch Down Under. Vow, which has sold its meat under the Forged brand in Singapore since last year, offers quail foie gras and pâté, plus a quail-based candle you can dip food into as it melts. They say they 'craft entirely new, never before seen (or eaten) meats,' which is certainly one way to get around how hard it is to make a lab-grown steak. 1/3
Sunday World
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Sunday World
Kinahan gangsters ‘The Wig' and ‘Biggie' Little cheer on McGregor as his team are beaten in cup final
It's a match made in hell as Conor's pals watch team in a 5-1 drubbing McGregor, who was ordered to pay almost €250,000 to Nikita Hand after a civil jury found he raped her in a Dublin hotel, turned in a disappointing performance as he team were easily beaten by Ballyfermot-based Roc Celtic at the AUL Complex in Clonshaugh on Dublin's northside. McGregor's pal James Lawrence, who was also named as a defendant in the civil suit but was found not liable for damages, also turned up to lend his support the MMA star as he pulled on the No10 jersey. Nathan 'Biggie' Little and James Lawrence at the match to cheer McGregor's team The Crumlin-born star, who hasn't fought in the UFC since 2021, was in buoyant mood as he arrived for the game dressed in Monogram Towelling Shirt costing €750 and matching shorts retailing at €630. He was also sporting a €2,800 Louis Vuitton sports hold-all. McGregor walked in with the team off the team bus while his Rolls Royce and chauffeur were waiting for him in the car park. He was accompanied by his own personal photographer and videographer and also had a team of promotion girls at the event handing out free pints of Forged brand of stout, which numerous retailers in Ireland and the UK refused to stock following the civil court verdict last year. A few hundred people turned up for the match, with organisers saying it was probably the biggest crowd they'd seen at a challenge cup final. Conor McGregor takes the pitch with his team However, it proved to be a disappointing evening for the loudmouth star, with rival fans jeering his every move and his side eventually losing 5-1. And just to compound his miserable evening, McGregor was subbed off with 20 minutes to go. Among the enthusiastic crowd was Kinahan-linked gangster Nathan 'Biggie' Little, who has previously been identified in the High Court as being a 'low-level' member of the Byrne Organised Crime Group. Kinahan gangsters look on as McGregor plays in final Conor McGregor plays for Black Forge in final May 30 According to CAB officers, Little is close to gang leader Liam Byrne, who was released from a UK prison on licence earlier this year just three months after being jailed for five years for a weapons plot. Little is also close pals with Liam Byrne's son, Lee, who has no involvement in crime, and is going out with former Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard's daughter Lilly-Ella. The couple are expecting their first child any day now. Graham 'The Wig' Whelan on the sidelines Little has previously brought Steven Gerrard on trips around Dublin and the pair even visited McGregor's Black Forge Inn during a St Patrick's Day trip last year. Little was seen standing beside James Lawrence at the match. Lawrence was named as a defendant in McGregor's civil case but the jury found him not liable. During the case he denied being the 'fall guy' for the rape allegation against McGregor. Kinahan gangsters look on as McGregor plays in final News in 90 Seconds - June 1st He said 'not in a million years" and asked why he would put himself up for the rape of a woman. The Civil Court jury awarded Ms Hand close to €250,000 after it found McGregor assaulted her in the hotel. The trial judge, Mr Justice Alexander Owens, said the jury had determined that McGregor had raped Ms Hand. Women promoting McGregor's Forged stout McGregor has launched an appeal against the verdict and wants to introduce new evidence from Ms Hand's former neighbours Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins in his appeal. The Court of Appeal was told that Ms O'Reilly and Mr Cummins's house was 'in close proximity' to the home Ms Hand shared with Mr Redmond. During a directions hearing, Mr Justice Seamus Noonan said Ms O'Reilly had claimed she was looking out of her upstairs bedroom window on 'the Sunday night/early on the Monday morning' when she witnessed 'a heated row' between Mr Redmond and Ms Hand in their house across the road. Her affidavit infers Mr Redmond assaulted Ms Hand in a bedroom by punching her and kicking her after pushing her to the floor. Ms O'Reilly says she could not see any blows landing on Ms Hand, but believed she was being punched and kicked based on the movement of Mr Redmond's arms and hips. Ms Hand has described the content of the couple's affidavits as 'lies'. 'My ex-partner Stephen Redmond [known as 'Ste'] did not assault me on the night of December 9/10, 2018, and never assaulted me in the course of our relationship, or since,' Ms Hand said. The appeal is set to be heard on July 1. Kinahan-linked gangster Graham 'The Wig' Whelan was watching from the sidelines as part of the Black Forge coaching set-up for the cup final on Friday. Whelan is close pals with McGregor and going out with his sister Aoife. Aoife has been going out with the convicted drug dealer in recent years and regularly visited him while he was in prison on money- laundering offences. She set up the Stop N Glow tanning salon on Bridgefoot Street in the Liberties area of the capital last year and appointed Whelan's father as the company secretary. Gardai received intelligence that The Wig was on the warpath in recent weeks after the salon was robbed. According to information received by gardaí, they believe that Whelan has identified the suspect as being most likely based in the nearby Oliver Bond flats complex. Gardaí did not receive any complaint about the alleged robbery but believe the culprit is most likely a local drug addict.
