Paul Shapiro is the CEO of The Better Meat Co, producer of ‘Rhiza’ mycoprotein for blended products which recently received FDA no-questions GRAS approval. In 2018, he wrote the book Clean Meat, on the then-burgeoning subject of what was then called clean or lab-grown meat and now commonly known as cultivated meat. In this piece, which Shapiro fully acknowledges will be controversial and is certain to ruffle feathers, he puts forth the notion that organic agriculture may in fact be more detrimental to the environment than conventional. The following are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. Is organic agriculture worse than conventional for the environment and animals? By Paul Shapiro When I was 15, I harbored certain …
First of all, to be clear, blended and hybrid products are no new thing and have existed for years, both successfully and unsuccessfully. As a publication specialised solely in the vegan business niche, we have widely avoided the topic of products consisting of plant (or fungi) meat blended with animal protein, since we do not write about animal products. But this is different and it would be remiss of us to not report, that: Quorn Foods, pioneer of meat-free products since 1985, today announces that “Quorn Foods’ role in the past was to help a few people eat no meat. We have now evolved into a company that helps everyone eat less meat.” Why is this significant? As most people in the food industry are …
Mycelium innovator The Better Meat Co. reveals it recently hosted “Night Under the Fermenters” – a special dinner to showcase the versatility of its Rhiza mycoprotein ingredient. Featuring 10 different courses, the fine dining experience offered guests a “taste of the future” with mycoprotein-based bacon, chicken, turkey, foie gras, caviar and even baked desserts. Taking place March 14 at Better Meat’s fermentation headquarters in West Sacramento, CA, the exclusive dinner featured notable guests, including Elysabeth Alfano from Plant-Based Business Hour and Didier Toubia, CEO of Aleph Farms. Guests, who reportedly paid $300 each, dined while immersed in the presence of Better Meat’s mycelia fermenters, an active 3D printer and microscopic mycelium artwork. The menu was curated by BMC research chef Jared Goldstein and prepared alongside …
The Better Meat Co., the B2B fermented meat specialist, reveals it is debuting foie gras and turkey slices made from the company’s Rhiza mycoprotein at the LinkedIn headquarters in Sunnyvale, CA. For one week, LinkedIn employees will be among the first to try the company’s mycelium-based products, including animal-free foie gras, a delicacy that is otherwise banned in California. “It’s illegal in California to sell foie gras, so we’re harnessing the power of fermentation to recreate a delectable experience in a humane and legal way,” said Paul Shapiro, CEO of The Better Meat Co. “We’re honored to partner with Bon Appetit Management Co. to offer Linkedin team members a taste of the future.” From steaks to seafood Located in Sacramento, The Better Meat Co. produces …
The Better Meat Co. is to introduce a foie gras analog based on mycelium. The California-based fermented meat specialist becomes the latest to enter the alt foie gras market, as consumers and lawmakers continue to shun the highly cruel delicacy. As first reported by Food Dive, The Better Meat Co. plans to introduce its foie gras analog this spring, which is likely to be derived from the company’s mycelium-based Rhiza protein. CEO Paul Shapiro states that, as a B2B ingredients company, the foie gras will go first into foodservice. Vegan foie gras Having already been banned or strictly restricted in a number of countries in Europe and Asia, US lawmakers are moving to restrict the controversial dish in New York City and California. The UK …
Mycoprotein: what is it and why? I chat with Paul Shapiro AND take a tour of the new mycoprotein plant recently opened by The Better Meat Co. We’ll learn how the superfood fungi Rhiza is changing the alt protein landscape on The Plantbased Business Hour. Specifically, Paul and Elysabeth discuss, Microbes, fungi and microproteins. The benefits of fungi and biomass fermentation. The impact of microbial fermentation and mycoprotein, Rhiza. How meat companies are reacting to Rhiza mycoprotein and similar microbes. A clip and transcript from their long-form conversation is below. The podcast is here. Display “The Power of Fungi: CEO of The Better Meat Co, Paul Shapiro, Explains” from YouTube Click here to display content from YouTube. Learn more in YouTube’s privacy policy. Always display content from YouTube …
Diners in Sacramento, CA, will have the opportunity this Saturday to enjoy an animal-free steak in a traditional American steak house. In a one-off event, Bennett’s American Cooking will serve a Rhiza mycoprotein steak made by the Better Meat Co. “The steakhouse owner was skeptical until he tried the Better Meat Co. mycoprotein steak, after which he declared it the best-tasting alt meat he’s ever had” – Paul Shapiro, CEO After opening its new fermentation plant to produce Rhiza – the company’s new mycoprotein superfood ingredient – the Better Meat Co is primarily focused as a b2b producer. CEO Paul Shapiro convinced the owner of Bennett’s American Cooking steakhouse with a tasting of the plant-based meat and the brand claims it is the first time …
The Better Meat Co., a producer of plant protein ingredients, announced the opening of a new fermentation plant that will produce Rhiza, the company’s new mycoprotein superfood ingredient. The first brand in agreement to use the ingredient is The Plant-Based Seafood Co. The business-to-business ingredients company will initially employ 16 people in West Sacramento. While the plant’s primary purpose is to serve as an R&D corporate headquarters, it will produce and supply thousands of pounds of Rhiza to select food companies for use as an ingredient in both plant-based and hybrid 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 …
CEO of The Better Meat Co. and author of Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World, Paul Shapiro joins Elysabeth Alfano on the Plantbased Business Hour to discuss 1) why blended plant-based/meat hybrid products make sense, 2) the future of cultivated meat and fermented proteins and 3) the business models that will win out in the end. Podcast here. Below is a highlight clip (4:05) of Paul explaining how the most efficient products play out in the market over time. The long-form video interview is here. Display “Paul Shapiro on the End of Animal Agriculture” from YouTube Click here to display content from YouTube. Learn more in YouTube’s privacy policy. Always display content from YouTube Open “Paul Shapiro on the End …
MIT Technology Review published last week their annual Ten Breakthrough Technologies edition, this time curated by Bill Gates in a piece titled, “Bill Gates: How we’ll invent the future.” In his list of technologies he believes will shape the future, Gates includes the “cow-free burger” and discusses how “lab-grown meat improves our quality of life.”
For the next installment of our Expert Opinion section we are delighted to present a guest post from Paul Shapiro, author of the Washington Post bestselling book Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World, experienced TEDx speaker, co-host of the Business for Good Podcast, and well-known advocate for animal rights and food sustainability.
