How did Nature’s Fynd start as a company and what is its vision now?
The company originated from a research project that investigated how NASA could explore extreme life forms in places outside of Earth such as by sending a probe to the planet of Saturn. This project eventually led us to study the geology of the volcanic acidic springs of Yellowstone National Park, which is actually the largest super-volcano in the world - its surface area is about half the size of Switzerland. We specifically looked at how the living organisms within ecosystems that arise from harsh conditions — including extreme temperatures, or pH levels with acidity close to car batteries— naturally optimize their lives when there is great scarcity of resources.
Essentially, our aim was to observe how natural processes can teach us how to do more with less, which is precisely the challenge of our generation. In applying these lessons to biotechnology, we developed a fermentation technology which has enabled us to cultivate a fungal microorganism we discovered in the Yellowstone ecosystem.
How specifically can the fungi you discovered contribute to research on alternative proteins?
From an experimental standpoint, one of the advantages of fungi is that they are acidophiles, which means that they can thrive in highly acidic conditions - most organisms cannot survive in these hostile conditions. The protein in fungi are also highly digestible, similar to beef, as well as rich in protein. They also contain all the essential amino acids. Moreover, our fermentation technology has enabled us to grow Fy protein that is neutral in flavor, has natural texture and is adaptable enough to create a large variety of dairy-like and meat-like foods. For example, from our Fy protein we make cream cheese and yogurts, as well as breakfast patties and chicken.
Such plant-based alternatives to meat and poultry products have received a mixed reception in the industry. How have your products been received in the market?
I would say that the “hype phase” which emerged from our industry in the last 24 months has caused many products of questionable quality to be put out on the market with limited consumer acceptance, and then, subsequently be pulled by retailers. That said, we are proud to be one of the companies that continue to produce these alternatives, and our distribution is gaining whilst our products are already sold in over 600 stores. Our retail business strategy has been bolstered by our work with chefs and culinary experts to complement the underlying green-thinking policies our technology supports with delicious, high-quality food products.
How affordable is your product and what kind of environmental footprint does it have compared to meat or other protein-rich foods on the market?
For context, I would first note that animals do not produce protein; they instead break down existing protein and reassemble these amino acids in their bodies. In other words, think of the cow as a “protein battery” — one which must consume and inefficiently preserve an enormous amount of protein to gain bulk. In this sense, only plants and microorganisms are efficient in terms of protein generation. At scale, our Fy Protein requires 99% less land, 99% less water, and emits 94% less greenhouse gas emission during the growing process compared to beef. And the output is generated in a matter of days, whereas livestock take years to fully mature.
Our long-term goal with Fy at scale is to get to a cost comparable to chicken — and this goal is achievable. Ultimately, cost is a function of our improving efficiency to transform inputs into protein. So, in terms of affordability, our cream cheese and breakfast patties currently sell at a competitive retail price - between that of your traditional brands and other plant-based options. Based on the accessibility and taste of our dairy-free and meatless products, consumers have given us positive feedback with a claimed repurchase intent of 70-75% - this is way better than most food products in any sector of the food market.
What exciting developments do you have in store? And what partnerships are you looking to build or carry forward into the future?
This year our relationship with NASA comes full circle. We have the honor of being inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame and this past summer, we launched our small-scale bioreactor designed to grow food for space exploration on the International Space Station. We are also currently developing a wide range of products from our Fy-protein platform to provide consumers with a variety of protein-rich food choices for every occasion and any meal. We are also very excited about our partnership with Chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin. On a broader food security and access front, we are working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to scale down our technology in ways that enable us to better address the growing need for protein in a variety of regions around the world, particularly in Asia and Africa.
