With $107 Million Funding in Just Three Years, This French Startup is Ready to Bring its Plant-Based Meat to the US
The company says it’s the first in the world to create a whole-muscle chicken breast at scale - without the need to kill a single animal.
Credit: UMIAMI
A French startup that specializes in plant-based meat alternatives is set to take on the US market after raising over $100 million in funding within just three years.
UMIAMI describes its unique production process as the first in the world to be able to create - on a large scale - plant-based filets that perfectly mimic whole cuts of animal meat. The meat cuts mimic animal meat in both taste and texture, as well as providing the equivalent nutritional value.
Now, the France-based company is expanding internationally with the launch of a new headquarters in Chicago, and further plans underway to also set up a production plant in North America.
Credit: UMIAMI
To head up the American side of the business, the startup has hired John Hatto as its stateside General Manager, who previously held VP and SVP positions at PepsiCo and Lamb Weston.
UMIAMI hopes that the potential success of its meat alternatives will reduce the impact of livestock farming on global warming, and the negative effects of intensive farming on animal welfare and human health. For the US market in particular, it highlights its innovative whole-cut chicken fillet, which will aim to attract the 248 million Americans who consume chicken breast each year.
Developing the technology required to produce a whole cut plant-based chicken breast took UMIAMI’s team of R&D’s scientists and engineering experts over three years. This led to the creation of their unique ‘umisation’ technology, which can replicate the long fibers of meat using only a few simple-to-understand ingredients.
Credit: UMIAMI
Ingredients are one of the key points to the startup’s unique approach. The whole-muscle chicken breast contains only seven ingredients, and is without any texturizing agents or controversial additives, helping to position the product at the forefront of a new generation of meat alternatives.
And the applicability of the plant-based chicken fillet is another selling point too, as it can be prepared in several ways including grilled, breaded, fried, marinated, and sauced.
When can you try UMIAMI’s plant-based meat? For now the company will focus on distribution in the European market, with a US launch to follow in the future.
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