Mushroom Meat Company’s 1st Cattle-Free “Mega Ranch”

Mushroom meat has officially gone mainstream thanks to alternative protein company, Meati’s, new 100,000 square foot processing facility in Colorado.  Dubbed the “mega ranch,” the new space will enable Meati to produce up to 45 million pounds of its mycelium-based, animal-free meat each year.

Photo from Meati’s website.

What Is Mushroom Meat?

The phrase “mushroom meat” might conjure up images of chewy portabellas. But, Meati produces something much more comparable to the look, texture, and taste of steak or chicken.  Meati does not use actual mushrooms to make its product. Rather, they use the mycelia that create mushrooms.  Think of them as mushroom roots, intricate networks of fibers that, when lovingly treated to water and sugar, can create some amazing foods including sake, miso, and tempeh.

Currently, Meati produces mycelium-based carne asada, classic steak, and chicken cutlets, and investors include celebrity chef Tom Colicchio.  Famous restaurateur David Chang is such a fan that he has collaborated with Meati to provide recipes and cooking demos for their products.

The Future Is Fungi

Photo from Meati’s website.

With the ability to produce the amount of protein equivalent to hundreds of cows over the course of a few days from just one teaspoon of spores, the potential for mycelium-based meat to replace animal meat is real.

Meati has plans to ramp up production even further.  The company is currently scouting locations for a “giga ranch” which will have the capability to surpass traditional meat producers by cultivating hundreds of millions of pounds of protein with more efficiency, sustainability, and best of all, zero cruelty.

Mushrooms Solve Many Problems

Meati is not the only company creating alternative meats using fungi.  Other cutting-edge food tech companies including MyForest Foods, Perfect Day, and Fable Foods are harnessing the magic of mushrooms  to create alternative proteins, and to make sustainable, biodegradable packaging materials, as well as leather and plastic alternatives.

I don’t know about you, but the idea of visiting a cattle-free, cruelty-free mushroom ranch has me shopping for leather-free cowboy boots!

Get in on the mushroom trend by learning Wicked Kitchen’s secrets to creating jaw-dropping, meaty mushroom meals, now streaming for free on UnchainedTV! Just click to watch!