Karim Pichara, co-founder and CTO of NotCo, loves to share the fact that pineapple has the same molecular equivalent as dairy milk.
NotCo, a food tech company creating plant-based foods, uses a proprietary artificial-intelligence (AI) technology named Giuseppe, to allow its team of chefs and food scientists to match animal proteins to their ideal replacements among thousands of plant-based ingredients. Founded in 2015 in Chile by three technologists, Pichara, Matias Muchnick (CEO and Pablo Zamora, NotCo first expanded to Brazil and then the rest of Latin America. In 2021, the company expanded to North America, and is now partially owned by a consortium of private investors.
Giuseppe uses a proprietary algorithm that learns and studies infinite combinations of foods at the molecular, physical and chemical level. The technology works on the formulation of recipes, runs sensory studies and, with the support of NotCo chefs, learns from the internal feedback analyses so its products are continually improving in taste and texture. As a result, NotCo’s products offer the delicious tastes and unique textures customers demand, but are made entirely from plants. The company’s current product line includes NotMayo, NotMilk (1 per cent, 2 per cent and whole), NotMilk Chocolate, NotIceCream, NotBurger and NotChickenNuggets. The products are available at major retailers and limited foodservice operations across Canada.
“NotCo was born because we love food and we don’t want to change what we like so much about it. But today, what we love to eat is hurting us and the environment,” says Muchnick. “We believe that replicating the animal products we all love to eat, but using plants, gives us all an opportunity to reduce our environmental impact without even realizing it. We are here to create a different food system — re-invent it, actually — without animals for everyone, everywhere.”
Pichara plays a critical role in NotCo’s growth and product development. “I’m responsible for delivering the AI technology that NotCo needs to accomplish its mission,” he says. “I have to make sure that at the AI team, we are creative, collaborative and focus on achieving results.”
Creating a more sustainable food system is at the heart of NotCo’s mission and vision. Global food production, which is based on animal farming, uses up one-third of the earth’s surface and emits more CO2 than the world’s transportation emissions combined. NotMilk milk uses 84-per-cent less water and generates 79-per-cent less CO2 than the production of dairy milk, while NotBurger uses 93-per-cent less water and generates 95-per-cent less CO2 than animal-based burgers. NotCo’s commitment to reducing their environmental impact extends to their straw-less packaging and commitment to offsetting their carbon footprint.
In February 2022, NotCo joined forces with Kraft Heinz in a historic, first-of-its-kind partnership to “democratize” access to plant-based foods. By combining Kraft Heinz’s iconic brands and powerful scaling with NotCo’s AI-driven food tech, Kraft Heinz stated the partnership would develop new products with an “unprecedented focus” on speed, quality and scale. Just eight months later, the Kraft-Heinz Not Company unveiled its first offering: NotMayo and NotCheese Slices. The Kraft-Heinz Not Company partnership has plans to expand to seven categories and embark on international expansion in 2024.
“When we started NotCo, it was our goal to make our technology a catalyst for a more sustainable food system, not only for us, but for other brands and manufacturers who share the same ambition,” says Muchnick. “This is an exciting milestone for the plant-based industry and shows the power of technology’s role in driving mainstream adoption.”
Besides the development of new products, the joint venture partnership will provide commercial support to the NotCo brand, allowing NotCo to accelerate availability and scale of its products.
In April 2023, NotCo partnered with Hero Certified Burgers, a long-standing leader in the fast-casual dining sector in Canada. NotCo plant-based products are now available at their restaurants, giving customers a more sustainable, delicious plant-based menu option.
“Canadians are looking for food alternatives and we are thrilled to be able to serve elevated plant-based food items to our customers alongside an innovative company like NotCo, which uses advanced technology to re-create impressive plant-based and non-GMO options,” says John F. Lettieri, founder, president and CEO of Hero Certified Burgers.
Named to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, NotCo has plans to continue to expand their product offerings and locations in both the retail and foodservice sectors across Canada and internationally.
By Morag McKenzie
