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Kimberlie Le of Prime Roots on the Plant Based Business Hour

July 5, 2023

CEO of Prime Roots, Kimberlie Le, joins Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour to discuss the magic of whole-food, Koji fungi (best pâté ever!) and taking over the deli counter. Specifically, they discuss: How Koji can be meats from fungi Distribution and taking over deli counters. Prime Roots Koji bacon and pate, and The environmental impact and efficiency of using microbes for food production. Below is a short clip and transcript from their conversation. Podcast here. Display “How is Koji Being used to Create Fungi-Based Pate and Deli Meats?” from YouTube Click here to display content from YouTube. Learn more in YouTube’s privacy policy. Always display content from YouTube Open “How is Koji Being used to Create Fungi-Based Pate and Deli Meats?” directly Elysabeth: Help us …

Organisations and brands:

Prime Roots

Image courtesy of Prime Roots

Investments & Acquisitions

Prime Roots’ Total Funding Reaches $50M Following Series B Round

May 15, 2023

Prime Roots, a producer of koji mycelium-based deli meats, has secured $30 million in a Series B round. The raise takes the company’s total funding to $50 million. True Ventures, Pangaea Ventures, SOSV/IndieBio, and Monde Nissin (the parent company of Quorn) all participated in the round, among others. Prime Roots will use the funding to scale and expand to deli counters and restaurants nationwide. Prime Roots claims to be able to identically replicate the microscopic texture of meat through proprietary fermentation and food science technology. The company offers a range of alternatives to deli meats, including cracked pepper turkey, black forest ham, hickory bacon, salami, and pepperoni — all developed alongside acclaimed chefs. The products can be made in just three days, compared to months …

Organisations and brands:

Prime Roots

©Wild Earth

Products & Launches

Wild Earth to Debut Core Collection of Kibble, Featuring ‘Meat Like’ Rotisserie Flavors, at Global Pet Expo

March 15, 2023March 14, 2023

Pet wellness brand Wild Earth announces it will unveil its new Core Collection of dog kibble at Global Pet Expo 2023 which takes place next week. Made from plant and fungi ingredients, the new kibbles will be available in several new flavors, including “meat-like” Golden Rotisserie and Classic Roast. Featuring complete and balanced formulas, Wild Earth says its latest kibble is free from animal-derived ingredients and takes a biotechnology approach to cruelty-free pet nutrition. The new offerings include the Performance Formula and Core Formula, both of which exclude five of the most common food allergens in dogs – beef, chicken, dairy, wheat and lamb. Designed for more active dogs, the Performance Formula comes in a Veggie Chicken ‘n Kabob flavor, and includes 28% fungi and …

Organisations and brands:

Global Pet Expo

Wild Earth

©Prime Roots

Company News

Prime Roots Achieves ‘First’ B Corp Certification for a Mycelium-Based Food Company

February 14, 2023

Prime Roots, maker of innovative Koji-Meats, announces it has become the ‘first’ mycelium-based food company to receive B Corp certification. Through this recognition, Prime Roots states its company will equitable benefits consumers, employees, communities, and the environment. Co-founded by Kimberlie Le, Prime Roots has transformed from a company primarily focused on ready-made meals to an animal-free deli meat brand. Aiming to disrupt the $300Bn bulk deli industry, Prime Roots creates realistic deli meat slices using koji mycelium – a versatile type of fungi. Ancient ingredient According to the company, koji is a traditional ingredient used for centuries to make foods like miso and soy sauce, and is a popular ingredient in Michelin-starred restaurants. Prime Roots says koji’s long, microscopic fibers can closely replicate the structures …

Organisations and brands:

Prime Roots

©Prime Roots

Fungi, Mushrooms & Mycelium

Prime Roots Launches First Sliceable Koji Meats to Disrupt $300B Bulk Deli Industry

November 23, 2022November 21, 2022

Fungi innovator Prime Roots announces its breakthrough line of Koji-Meats is now available at select deli counters and sandwich shops in the San Francisco Bay Area. Offered in bulk sizes for fresh slicing, the launch is a preview ahead of a larger US retail and restaurant expansion in 2023. Prime Roots’ preview launch features classic deli staples and charcuterie, including: Whole Koji-Turkey in Classic Smoked, Cracked Black Pepper, and Golden Roast Whole Koji-Hams in Classic Smoked, Black Forest, and Sugar Shack Maple Koji-Pepperoni Koji-Salami Koji-Pâtés with apple & sage or black truffle Koji-Foie Gras Torchon In the Bay Area, local diners can find the products at the following restaurants and markets: Berkeley Bowl Bi-Rite Market Rhea’s Deli Timeless Coffee Millennium and Above Ground Pizza Driver’s …

Organisations and brands:

Prime Roots

©Prime Roots

Products & Launches

Prime Roots Launches World’s First Koji-Based Deli Meats and Foie Gras

February 25, 2022February 17, 2022

Prime Roots, pioneers of Koji-based Meat, announces the company has re-branded and is launching the first-ever line of Koji Deli Meats and Charcuterie. The new line includes sliceable hams, turkey and salami, as well as koji pâtés, pepperoni and foie gras. Aiming to disrupt the $300 billion global bulk deli market, the brand intends to revolutionize the concept of deli meat alternatives, where it says there is currently a lack of strong leading players. Prime Root’s koji protein platform has allowed it to create the first animal-free deli meats that can be freshly sliced and used to make traditional deli classics, like smokey ham and cracked pepper turkey sandwiches. The groundbreaking meats and pâtés are crafted from koji – the same fungi used to make …

Organisations and brands:

Prime Roots

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese. © Prime Roots

Products & Launches

We Round Up Most Exciting Prime Roots Products as Brand Unveils New Line of Vegan Mac And Cheese

May 31, 2021May 31, 2021

Most alt-protein companies start out by making the basics, like burgers and nuggets. But US-based Prime Roots has taken a different approach, aiming to make plant-based comfort foods that aren’t widely available.

Organisations and brands:

Prime Roots

©Prime Roots

Products & Launches

Prime Roots Unveils “World’s First” Range of Flavored Vegan Bacon for Earth Day

April 22, 2021April 22, 2021

To celebrate Earth Day, Prime Roots today unveils what it claims to be the world’s first plant-based bacon lineup. The new line of flavoured bacon products consist of thick-cut, butcher-style bacon in Black Pepper, Sriracha, Maple, and Hickory flavors, which are created with a Japanese superprotein fungi called koji. In March of last year, Prime Roots launched its first koji bacon for DTC home delivery and reported that stocks were sold out almost immediately. In October 2020 the San Francisco brand debuted a range of vegan ready meals featuring the plant-based bacon, including a Koji Bacon Mac and Cheese. In March of this year Prime Roots introduced what it says is the world’s first vegan lobster ravioli, also created with the koji fungus. We spoke with …

Organisations and brands:

Prime Roots

Kimberlie Le of Prime Roots

Interviews

Prime Roots: “We Have a Global Waitlist with Thousands of People From Over 50 Countries”

October 29, 2020

Prime Roots started life as Terramino Foods, then last year rebranded to Prime Roots whose first product to market – a koji-based vegan bacon – shot to fame when it sold out almost immediately upon its launch this March. This week its plant-based ready meals featuring koji fungus-based bacon, beef and chicken, launched into Whole Foods.

Organisations and brands:

Prime Roots

Products & Launches

Prime Roots Ready Meals Featuring its Famous Koji Bacon Launch Today

October 27, 2020October 27, 2020

From today, October 27th, select Whole Foods locations in the Bay Area will offer a range of plant-based ready meals from Prime Roots featuring its famous bacon which sold out almost immediately upon its launch this March. The range also includes new beef and chicken, all created with koji-based proteins.

Organisations and brands:

Prime Roots

Whole Foods

©PrimeRoots

Food & Beverage

Prime Roots Debuts Vegan Bacon Made from Koji Fungus, Sells Out Almost Immediately

October 30, 2021March 4, 2020

Prime Roots, a plant-based high protein meat alternative company which makes products from a fungus called koji, recently launched a bacon which can be ordered online and shipped directly to your door. Prime Roots’ founders Kimberlie Le and Joshua Nixon say that the vegan bacon was sold out almost immediately.

Organisations and brands:

Prime Roots

Image courtesy of Prime Roots

Interviews

Prime Roots: “We are Able to Make Pretty Much Any Plant-Based Meat or Seafood Product”

March 30, 2020August 22, 2019

Prime Roots, previously known as Terramino Foods, is a sustainable, non-GMO, whole-food source, meat alternative company, utilising a Japanese superprotein called Koji in innovative ways to create plantbased seafood options such as salmon and lobster, alongside meat-free chicken, sausages, bacon and more.

Organisations and brands:

Terramino Foods

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The vegconomist-newsletter
information for decision-makers