Nature’s Fynd: ‘There is this growing realization that microbes are pretty damn efficient’
Unlike some other startups using synthetic biology to ‘program’ microbes to produce proteins, Chicago-based Nature’s Fynd is working with ‘extremophiles’ - fungal strains that can survive in extreme environments such as the volcanic springs at Yellowstone National Park - that naturally produce high levels of complete protein when grown in a controlled environment.
Rather than extracting the protein to make a concentrate or isolate, it is producing a whole food ingredient - dubbed 'FY’ - containing 50%+ protein, plus fibers, oils, and desirable micronutrients including vitamin B12 (highly desirable in a vegan protein), vitamin D, iron, and calcium.
Finished products containing 'FY' - from animal-free cream cheese, chicken nuggets, beef sliders and pork dumplings, to chocolate mousse - will be manufactured by co-packers using Nature's Fynd recipes.