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Since its founding in 2017, Meati Foods has been on a mission to raise awareness of mycelium by bringing mycelium ingredients to consumers’ plates through products such as the Classic Steak, Carne Asada, and more.
The company said its products do not fall under the category of “plant-based.”
“What I’m trying to do is create mycelium as a separate category so that we can grow in that space and give consumers another category to manage,” Meati’s new chief commercial officer John Botels told Food Dive.
“My goal is to make sure our customers don’t get disappointed with the plant-based performance we’ve had over the past few years.”
Bortells has been in the food and beverage industry for 36 years, starting at Pepsi. “Growing up at Pepsi taught me how to compete with the No. 1 company in the category, which was Coke at the time,” he said. “I was always the No. 2 company, hungrier than the competition.”
After nearly 20 years at PepsiCo, Botels rose to the position of vice president of sales, then worked for Mighty Tea Leaf Company, Clover Sonoma, and finally A2 Milk Company, where he helped create an entirely new category in specialty milks.
“People had no idea what A2 milk was. It was designed to allow lactose-intolerant consumers to enjoy dairy products, and we created a subcategory of specialty milk.”
The difference with mycelium, he said, is that mycelium is a fungus, not a plant, and that its components themselves are complete proteins, made up of iron, fiber, B vitamins, zinc and more.
John Bortells, Chief Commercial Officer, Meati Foods
Licensed by Meati Foods.
Get the right messaging
This week, Meati Foods was involved in a class action lawsuit alleging that it falsely advertised its products as being “made with mushroom roots.”
Plaintiff Serena Caldeira, a California consumer, alleged that “Meetee products are not made from the mushroom root or any part of the mushroom. Specifically, the primary ingredient in Meetee products is Neurosporo Crassa, a red mold that commonly grows on bread.”
The mycelium is actually A fungal root-like structure that resembles a mushroom when viewed under a microscope.
After the filing, CEO Phil Graves told Food Dive that the company was literally “going back to our roots,” adding, “Years ago, mycelium wasn’t a household name. And it still isn’t today.However, awareness is growing and the category is gaining popularity among consumers.”
“When you look at the mycelium under a microscope, when you look at the fruiting body, and technically there’s the top of the mushroom, whether it’s the mushroom root or the mycelium or the mycoprotein, it’s a new category,” Graves said.
In the first few months of his tenure, Bortels has prioritized solidifying his brand message. “We are the mycelium, the root system that grows into the ground. For example, we are not the apple, we are the apple tree and the root system,” he said. “And we have to talk about it that way.”
Consumers may be afraid to try a completely new category of products, which is one of the challenges Meati Foods faces.
“In nature, mycelium is a kingdom of its own,” Graves said. “And we need to teach people how to eat from other kingdoms.”
Competitors in a new category
The mycoprotein company doesn't want to be lumped into the plant-based category, but Botels says it's helped Meati Foods get to where it is today.
“I’m not here to bash the plant-based industry, because I think they’ve created a runway for us,” he said. “TThe success of our plant-based products has allowed us to engage with our customers.”
In addition to establishing its own category, Meati Foods cites its use of clean ingredients as another factor that sets it apart from plant-based food companies.
“We don’t have a long list of unpronounceable junk ingredients like our competitors,” Graves said. “We have products that are on average 95 percent mycelium, but over time we want to continue to improve our products and reduce them to the bare minimum possible.”
“We’re watching what other people are doing, and we’re looking at plant-based, fungal-based, animal-based, but our role is to get these products to market and do the testing.”
Forty percent of Meatfood consumers have never tried a plant-based alternative before, which the company sees as a positive sign.
Plant-based meat and seafood, which are more expensive than traditional meat and have concerns about processed foods Sales in 2023 to decline for second consecutive yearAccording to the Good Food Institute's Industry Status Report,
At Mitifood, we believe mycelium can solve the remaining half of the problem.
The next step in growth
With Bortels' appointment, Mitifood is ready for its next phase of growth, the company said.
“We’re in a high-growth phase, and we’re looking for someone who not only has the skills to build the brand and make Mitty a global furniture brand, but also cares deeply about the mission,” Graves said. “When I got to know John, I knew he was passionate about creating new categories, and he wanted his next destination to be somewhere where he could have a lasting impact on what he was doing. I know it’s cliché, but it’s a place that makes the world a better place.”
Graves said the next step in its innovation pipeline is for the company to consider reducing the ingredient composition of a particular product from five to four or three and letting the mycelium take care of itself.
“If you have a product that's pure, simple and tastes better than what's familiar, then from an industry perspective, that's a good point.”
Less than a month into his tenure, Votels said he has laid out several priorities for the coming year. “I plan to tell the brand story first, then make sure the company has the right product and packaging without confusing the consumer,” he said. “Then I’ll make sure they go into the right channels and spend the right kind of money. And finally, and most importantly, I’ll make sure the company has the right team of people.”
