NotCo is a Chilean maker of plant-based foods that it says are better for the climate than the animal-based equivalents. Its milk, mayonnaise, and burgers are gaining traction with consumers in other South American nations, including Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina.
The company uses a machine learning algorithm, called Giuseppe, to develop formulas that it says can recreate all the sensory characteristics of animal-based foods—including structure, elasticity, flavor, texture, and aroma—with plant-based ingredients. Based on the molecular compositions of these foods, Giuseppe proposes new combinations from a list of 300,000 ingredients to approximate specific products such as hamburgers, chicken, and milanesa, a popular Latin American dish consisting of a breaded beef or chicken cutlet.
NotCo launched its first product in 2017: NotMayo, a mayonnaise substitute made from canola oil, grapevine vinegar, and mustard seeds. Now the company sells its line of dozens of products online and in major grocery chains in 15 countries, including Whole Foods in the US and the Chilean hypermarket chain Jumbo. NotCo’s creations have also been inserted into products from other brands, such as Starbucks and Burger King. And the company works with some brands to create new plant-based products, such as NotManjxr, a variation of a typical Chilean caramel, made exclusively for Dunkin’ franchises in Chile.
![“It wasn’t until I started working with Desirée [Plata] that I started applying materials science as a tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That was a profound insight,” says Audrey Parker.](/sites/default/files/styles/teaser_mini_image/public/post-images/MIT-Audrey_Parker-01-press.jpg?itok=gxwqhKlE)
