Bezos backed NotCo debuts NotMilk in the US

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The company has already launched NotMilk, NotBurger, NotIceCream and NotMayo in Brazil, Argentina and Chile. Pic: NotCo

NotCo, a food-tech company in Latin America backed by venture capital names, including Bezos Expeditions, has announced its debut in the US with the launch of NotMilk in Whole Foods Market stores nationwide.

The company said NotMilk delivers taste and texture that replicate dairy-based milk. NotCo has proprietary artificial intelligence and machine-learning algorithms that help mimic animal-based foods using plant-based ingredients.

“When you think about the taste of milk, a human mind would never think that a combination of pineapple and cabbage would could recreate the taste of milk, but Giuseppe – our artificial intelligence – can and does. 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,” NotCo CEO and founder Matias Muchnick said.

The company said its online research showed 33% of plant-based milk consumers in the US move back to dairy because of compromises in taste.

“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,” said Lucho Lopez-May, CEO of NotCo in North America.

“At Whole Foods Market, we are always looking for high-quality products for our customers, and there is a desire from our customers for a product like NotMilk that delivers the taste of dairy milk, but is plant-based,” Parker Brody, senior global category manager at Whole Foods Market, said.

NotMilk will be available at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide in two varieties: NotMilk Whole and NotMilk 2% Reduced Fat.

NotCo recently announced an $85m Series C Round with industry investors including Bezos Expeditions, Future Positive and L Catterton, as well as follow-on investment from all previous round investors.

The company will soon open a new office in New York to host its commercial operations while maintaining its Machine Learning team that is already partially hosted in San Francisco.

NotCo utilizes proprietary artificial intelligence technology that can match animal protein to its ideal replacement among thousands of plant-based ingredients. The company has launched NotMilk, NotBurger, NotIceCream and NotMayo in Brazil, Argentina and Chile.