Chilean plant-based company NotCo is entering the Australian market with three of its best sellers, backed by artificial intelligence (AI) and deep science to replicate meat's molecular structure.
Distributed in Australia by plant-based distribution specialists Future Farm Co, early supplies of NotMilk have arrived in some Woolworths stores, with NotBurger and NotChicken nuggets to follow.
NotCo CEO and cofounder Matias Muchnick said, “We believe we must completely change the food system and to do so we need to create amazingly delicious products that don’t require people to compromise or make sacrifices.”
Muchnick said NotCo has combined AI and deep science, and built a one-of-a-kind AI program — Guiseppe — that studies the molecular structure of animal products and replicates them using only plant-based ingredients, reducing the energy, water and C02 generated as a result of production processes, and taking the animal out of the equation.
A typical western diet uses around 200 of the world’s 300,000 plants. Guiseppe looks for combinations that humans would never think of to replicate the exact taste, texture, smell and functionality of animal products, NotCo said.
Muchnick expects to disrupt the Australian market, saying when NotMilk first launched in Chile it was the number one selling plant based milk in its first week. When NotBurger launched it sold three months of supplies in three weeks, and continues to hold five per cent of total market share in the entire burger category, including the animal-based, he said.
According to NotCo, NotMilk takes 92 per cent less water to produce than cow’s milk and produces 74 per cent less CO2 emissions.
By replacing a glass of regular cow’s milk with NotMilk each day, consumers could save the equivalent of 52 minutes in the shower, 12 hours of light generated by a lamp or 40 kilometres driven in a car, the company said.
With NotMilk stock already landing on shelves across Woolworths nationally and with NotBurger and NotChicken Nuggets to follow, NotCo is also in talks with a range of leading local coffee brands to supply NotMilk throughout cafes.
“We believe NotMilk will be perfect for Australia’s incredible coffee scene, offering the best plant-based alternative there has ever been. Given 95 per cent of Aussies love milk in their coffees, this is a huge market ripe for disruption”, Muchnick said.
Muchnick said NotCo aimed to create a different food system that was better for the planet. The motivation behind the company’s establishment was rooted in great food that tastes amazing and is better for the world with NotCo’s research showing that more than 85 per cent of customers aren’t vegan or vegetarian, they just love the products because of their taste.
“The world needs a change today. This is not just a food revolution, it is a revelation. For a better world, a more sustainable world and a world just as delicious,” Muchnick said.
