Foodtech Unicorn NotCo announces it has secured a new set of patents related to the ability of Giuseppe — its proprietary AI technology — to develop scents and aromas, claiming to be the first company leveraging AI to explore the re-creation of aromas in food.
“These new patents help get us closer to replicating the true experience of animal-based products but with only plant-based molecules.”
The company states that Giuseppe is now the only technology with the ability to reproduce the positive associations created in the brain when it experiences scent and aroma, through plant-based food and beverages.
“By understanding taste at the molecular level and interpreting the emotion our brains associate with it, NotCo can recreate these experiences through flavor and aroma using only plant-based ingredients,” says the fast-growing Chilean company.
NotCo’s patented new technology will be applied to all product development moving forward, including joint ventures and partnerships such as the recently formed Kraft Heinz Not Company. The company reveals that it has already utilised the technology in the development of NotChicken™ and traditional fried chicken recipes, which launched in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile in 2021.
“One step closer to fulfilling our promise”
“Today is an exciting milestone as we’re one step closer to fulfilling our promise of transforming the speed and scale of plant-based adoption,” said Matias Muchnick, co-founder, and CEO at NotCo. “Many people don’t realize that when we eat, much of the ‘taste’ is actually coming from smells and aromas. These new patents help get us closer to replicating the true experience of animal-based products but with only plant-based molecules.”
“Flavor will always reign supreme, but what we feel when we smell our food is a powerful nuance,” said Karim Pichara, co-founder and CTO at NotCo. “Smells and aromas are a critical part of motivating more people to adopt plant-based options long-term. These new patents further strengthen the experience by creating plant-based products that taste, function, and smell just like their animal-based counterparts. By matching the nostalgic smells people associate with certain memories and emotions we’re opening a new avenue for them to make the switch to plant-based.”
