Food-tech start-up The Better Meat Co. has opened a new mycoprotein fermentation facility in Sacramento that will be used to produce a meatier texture in plant-based proteins.
The R&D facility will employ 16 people and produce thousands of pounds of Rhiza, the company’s new mycoprotein ingredient, per month. Interested companies will also be able to partner with The Better Meat Co. to use the ingredient in both plant-based and animal-based meat products.
“If we’re serious about lessening humanity’s footprint on the planet, we need to get serious about our food-print, and that means reducing our reliance on animals for food,” said Better Meat Co. CEO Paul Shapiro. “Rhiza offers a cost-effective opportunity for food companies seeking to improve sustainability while giving their customers that meaty experience they crave.”
The fermented product helps plant-based proteins have a meatier texture. Taste and texture have remained two of the biggest barriers preventing consumers from trying plant-based substitutes. It can also be used to enhance ground beef, pork, fish or crab or as an egg replacer in baked foods.
In addition, the ingredient features a neutral taste, more protein than eggs more iron than beef and more fiber than oats, according to the company’s website.
Partnering with the poultry industry
The Better Meat Co has already partnered with several meat companies, including Johnsonville Sausages and Perdue Farms.
In 2019, Perdue Farms released ‘Chicken Plus,’ a blended meat product that was developed in partnership with The Better Meat Co. to meet the needs of flexitarian families. The product line, available in more than 7,100 supermarkets across the U.S., features traditional animal proteins blended with cauliflower, chickpeas and other plant proteins.
“Perdue Chicken Nuggets have been a staple for families for years, but we wanted to provide an easy way to round out the meal and help parents put an end to the ‘eat your vegetables’ battle,” Eric Christianson, chief marketing officer for Perdue Farms, said in a statement.
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