NEW YORK — NotCo, a food technology company based in Latin America, is launching in the United States with NotMilk plant-based milk alternative.
NotCo uses proprietary artificial intelligence and machine-learning algorithms that help mimic animal-based foods using plant-based ingredients. NotMilk is designed to deliver taste and texture that replicate dairy-based milk, the company said. The dairy alternative is made with a blend of pea protein, chicory root fiber, pineapple juice, coconut oil, sunflower oil and cabbage juice.
“When you think about the taste of milk, a human mind would never think that a combination of pineapple and cabbage would recreate the taste of milk, but Giuseppe — our artificial intelligence — can and does,” said Matias Muchnick, founder and chief executive officer of NotCo. “That’s the power of introducing a new technology into an obsolete system: You’re adding a whole new world of innovative possibilities that are good for us and the environment.”
Available in whole and 2% reduced fat varieties at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide, NotMilk is lactose-free, soy-free, gluten-free and non-GMO. Each 1-cup serving contains 90 calories, 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of sugar.
“We know 33% of plant-based milk consumers in the US move back to dairy because of compromises in taste,” said Lucho Lopez-May, CEO of NotCo in North America and former president of strategic growth channels at Danone SA. “We are here to change that. There are many options in the market, but they miss something — whether that be look, taste or texture — but NotMilk has it all.”
In September, NotCo announced an $85 million Series C funding round with investors including Bezos Expeditions, Future Positive and L Catterton.
