Indulge In Innovation?: Lab-Grown Foie Gras Is Here

Alternative types of protein are all the rage. From beetle larvae to protein made out of thin air, there is no shortage of inventive, albeit head-scratchy, ideas. Lab grown, or cell-cultured, meat is now poised to take center stage. Bolstered by a FDA approval and a sharp reduction in production costs, Vow is an Australian-based company that has just become the ‘first and only’ to sell cultured meat in numerous markets. 

Cultured meat, also known as cultivated meat, comes from real animal cells. Scientists extract the cells and replicate them in a lab to recreate an identical sensory and nutritional profile of the real thing. Thanks to a growing demand for sustainable protein alternatives, the cultured meat market (valued at 246.9 million in 2022) is expected to grow from 51.6% from 2023 to 2030, per Grand View Research.

Vow recently launched its latest product, Forged Gras, a play on foie gras, which is a delicacy made from fattened duck or goose liver. The dish is banned in certain regions around the world because it controversially involves force feeding the animal. Forged Gras attempts to recreate the delicacy without the need for intrusive use of animals. Unlike traditional foie gras, it’s sourced from Japanese quail, which gives it the gamey flavor foie gras is known for.

Forged Gras was initially launched in Singapore in April 2024. With its introduction to Hong Kong, Vow is officially the first company to sell cultured meat in the region. According to a survey conducted by Vow, only 8% out of 1,000 US meat eaters had ever tried foie gras—mainly due to lack of availability, but also for ethical reasons. 

“At Vow, we’re paving a new path for food by using innovative technology to address real challenges around foods that people want but can’t access. The launch of Forged Gras continues our mission to bring scarce or never-before-seen foods to millions but does so in a way that seeks to innovate, not imitate. By fostering culinary imagination, we aim to create something entirely new, unconstrained by the tradition of even the oldest delicacies,” George Peppou, Vow’s CEO, said. 

Available in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the US, visit Vow’s website today to find Forged Gras near you.