Shake Shack's New Non-Dairy Sweet Treats are Created Using Artificial Intelligence

EAT

The fast-food chain has partnered with NotCo, a food-tech pioneer that is using AI technology to revolutionize the food industry by creating plant-based versions of animal products.


NotCo, a food-tech pioneer that uses artificial intelligence technology to produce plant-based foods and beverages, has partnered with fast-casual restaurant Shake Shack to test a non-dairy chocolate custard and non-dairy chocolate shake.

Shake Shack will be the first food company partner in the U.S. to offer NotCo products, including a Non-Dairy Chocolate Custard and Non-Dairy Chocolate Shake that will be available in 10 select Shake Shack locations in New York and South Florida throughout the summer.

“Shake Shack is a brand that I’ve always loved, and grew up enjoying,” said Matias Muchnick, CEO and co-founder of NotCo. “Their food is unfussy, consistently delicious, and high quality. In a way, Shake Shack has created the perfect blueprint for what we want to emulate with our plant-based foods, and we’re so excited to be kicking off this journey into Food Service with their team.”

Cracking the code

The Chilean food tech company, NotCo, achieved unicorn status last year after securing $235 million in a Series D funding round to develop Giuseppe, its patented AI technology platform. Investors included Lewis Hamilton, Roger Federer, and Jeff Bezos. 

Giuseppe can perfectly mimic the taste of animal-based products, according to NotCo, by analyzing the product structure at the molecular level and then replicating these complex animal flavors by using only plant-based ingredients. 

As well as tackling the ethical concerns surrounding farming and killing animals for food, NotCo products are also benefiting the environment. The company uses 32.5 percent less energy and 83 percent less water in the production process, and generates 37 percent less CO2 than conventional animal products.

NotCo used Giuseppe, AI chefs, and R&D teams to replicate the same flavor, creaminess, and functionality of Shake Shack’s existing menu items, all without animal-based eggs or dairy. The process took less than four months, according to the company. The Non-Dairy Chocolate Frozen Custard is a proprietary formula, while the Non-Dairy Chocolate Shake is a mixture of the custard and NotMilk.

“We have been looking at the plant-based space for a while and are so excited to be partnering with an innovative food-tech leader such as NotCo,” said Jeff Amoscato, SVP of Supply Chain and Menu Innovation at Shake Shack. “Non-dairy custard and shakes have been something our guests have wanted and we are looking forward to seeing where this test takes us.”

The Non-Dairy Chocolate Custard and Chocolate Shake will be available at Winter Park, Garden Mall, Miami Beach, The Falls Coral Gables, Astor Place, Midtown East, Harlem, Upper East Side and Battery Park City.


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