Company Research Report: The Better Meat Co.
Company Overview
- Name: The Better Meat Co.
- Mission: To harness the power of fermentation to make delicious, versatile mycoprotein ingredients for food companies to use as the basis of their hybrid and fully animal-free meats. The company aims to reduce humanity's ecological footprint by building a more sustainable food system.
- Founded: 2018
- Founder: Paul Shapiro
- Key People:
- Paul Shapiro, CEO
- Moran Farhi, Executive Vice President (EVP)
- Doni Curkendall, EVP
- Beena Goldenberg, Board Member
- Brian Ottens, Board Member
- Headquarters: Sacramento, California
- Number of Employees: 16 employees as of the latest available data.
- Revenue: No specific revenue information is available.
- Specialization: Known for creating mycoprotein ingredients through fermentation, which serve as a basis for plant-based and hybrid meat products.
Products
- Rhiza Mycoprotein:
- Description: Rhiza is an all-natural, whole food, complete protein ingredient that is versatile, allergen-free, and naturally meat-like in texture.
- Key Features:
- More protein than eggs, more iron than beef, more zinc than beef, more fiber than oats, and more potassium than bananas.
- Low fat, zero cholesterol, non-GMO, and common allergen-free.
- Complete amino acid profile.
- Suitable for both animal-free and hybrid meat products.
- Product Variants using Rhiza Mycoprotein:
- Rhiza Hybrid Burger
- Rhiza Steak
- Rhiza Chicken
- Rhiza Hybrid Crab
- Rhiza Fish Filet
- Rhiza Deli Slices
- Rhiza Foie Gras
- Rhiza Hot Dog
- Rhiza Meatballs
- Rhiza Bacon
- Rhiza Taco Meat
- Rhiza Jerky
Recent Developments
- Funding and Recognition:
- Received a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense for advanced biotech development (Aug 29, 2024).
- Named one of America’s Top GreenTech companies by TIME Magazine and Statista (Mar 5, 2024).
- Received a "no questions" letter from the FDA confirming GRAS status for Rhiza mycoprotein (July 11, 2024).
- Ongoing efforts to reduce production costs by 30%, enabling Rhiza to compete on cost with commodity beef (Jun 11, 2024).
- Partnerships:
- Entered into partnerships with large meat manufacturers like Hormel Foods and Maple Leaf Foods to develop alternative protein products using Rhiza mycoprotein.
- Secured multiple signed letters of intent with major CPG brands and foodservice companies to supply Rhiza mycoprotein at scale.
- Production Advances:
- Efforts to scale up production for Rhiza to meet increasing demand.
- Advancements in fermentation processes and the fine-tuning of feedstocks have been made to enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of production.
- Product Launches:
- Several restaurants, such as Buddha Belly Burger in Sacramento, have implemented Rhiza-based products in their menus.
- Collaborated with Perdue Farms on the "Chicken Plus" line, which combines chicken with plant-based ingredients.
- Press and Media:
- Featured as innovative leaders in sustainable food technology on platforms like Forbes and other major news outlets, highlighting their unique fermentation-based approach to protein production.
No further product or feature-specific information available.