The first lab-grown foie gras arrives in restaurants: luxury without cruelty

An Australian company launched a cell-cultured foie gras in Singapore, and in 2025 the product was also approved in Australia. The delicacy, long associated with animal welfare controversies, could become the symbol of a new culinary era.

Innovation in Gastronomy

Foie gras, regarded as one of the most refined delicacies in French cuisine, has long been criticized due to its traditional production method, which involves force-feeding ducks and geese.

In 2024, the Australian company Vow introduced in Singapore the first lab-grown foie gras, called Forged Gras. The product is made from Japanese quail cells cultivated in bioreactors, reproducing the rich and creamy texture of fatty liver without the need to sacrifice birds.

From Singapore to Melbourne and Sydney

The innovative delicacy is already on the menus of more than 35 restaurants in Singapore. In April 2025, Australia and New Zealand authorized its sale, and by mid-year it began to appear in fine dining restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney.

This makes Australia and New Zealand the second region in the world to approve cultivated meat, after Singapore. (In the United States, there have been limited approvals for other cultivated products, but not for foie gras.)

A Multi-Billion Global Market

The traditional foie gras industry is worth several billion euros annually, but faces bans in countries such as the United Kingdom and in certain U.S. states, due to animal welfare concerns.

For the cultivated version, production costs are still high — around USD 85 per kg — but the trend is downward. At the serving stage, portions in restaurants are priced comparably, or even more affordably, than conventional foie gras. Experts estimate that as production scales up, prices could eventually match those of the traditional product.

The Strategy: Luxury and Exclusivity

Vow chose to launch lab-grown foie gras as a premium delicacy rather than a mass-market product. Consumers willing to pay for gourmet experiences are more receptive to innovation and to the idea of exclusivity. Partnerships with prestigious restaurants and top chefs provide legitimacy and establish a new standard in gastronomy.

Romania – The Next Step?

In Romania, foie gras is currently available only in niche restaurants and gourmet stores. Although no official plans exist yet, the growing global emphasis on sustainability may eventually bring the cultivated version to the local market, particularly in the luxury HoReCa segment.

Conclusion

Lab-grown foie gras represents a paradigm shift: from a symbol of animal welfare controversies to an ethical and innovative product. Luxury and sustainability, once difficult to reconcile, now share the same plate.

(Photo: Freepik)