Brussels-based food tech startup, Bolder Foods, is making waves in the alternative cheese industry with its groundbreaking mycelium ingredient, MycoVeg. The company recently unveiled this functional mycelium innovation, which promises creamy and stretchy textures in non-dairy cheese. Trials of this biomass-fermented creation are underway with dairy companies, and a market launch is scheduled for 2025.
Founded in 2020, Bolder Foods has been at the forefront of developing innovative cheese alternatives. Its initial product line, Chizou, a plant-based grated range made from cauliflower and chickpea protein, demonstrated the company's commitment to creating alternatives that mimic the properties of conventional cheese.
In 2021, the startup shifted its focus to mycelium, a rising star in the alternative protein space due to its nutritional, environmental, and functional benefits. Mycelium, the mushroom root, is rich in fiber, low in fat, and boasts a protein content of 20-30% in dry matter. The three-week early intervention trial even suggested potential health benefits, including a 21% reduction in LDL cholesterol with mycelium consumption.
To harness mycelium's potential in the cheese industry, Bolder Foods uses a naturally occurring, non-GM strain of fungi and employs a simple liquid fermentation process with minimal downstream processing. The resulting product, MycoVeg, combines mycelium with plant-based elements, offering cheese manufacturers a semi-finished product that enables the creation of clean-label and deliciously creamy soft, semi-hard, and fresh cheeses.
Bolder Foods Co-founder and CEO, Ilana Taub, emphasizes that existing toolkits for cheese manufacturers fall short of meeting consumer expectations in taste, texture, and price on a mainstream level. MycoVeg addresses this gap, providing dairy companies with an innovative ingredient that allows them to produce dairy-free cheese alternatives without compromising on quality.
The mycelium-based ingredient is described as having a spectrum of flavors, from neutral to strong umami notes, and a creamy and elastic texture. Unlike companies working on developing recombinant casein, Bolder Foods takes a unique approach, creating elasticity and bite that resemble traditional dairy cheeses.
Although still in the R&D stage, MycoVeg has entered trials with dairy companies, with the aim of reaching commercial scale production by 2026. Bolder Foods, having raised €1.5 million ($1.63 million) in investment so far, is actively fundraising to further its mission. With a target of becoming a leader in the $2.85 billion mycelium market, Bolder Foods envisions a future where MycoVeg transforms the landscape of non-dairy cheese, meeting consumer demands for taste, texture, and affordability.
[image credits: Bolder Foods]