Just N Life recently had the pleasure of attending a brunch at the beautiful Cabra, a rooftop Peruvian-inspired restaurant helmed by Chef and Owner Stephanie Izard, showcasing the innovative products of Nature’s Fynd. Chef Izard, a Top Chef winner and Iron Chef, led the event, presenting a menu that highlighted the diverse flavors and versatility of Nature’s Fynd products. Nature’s Fynd is a food technology company based in Chicago, Illinois, that produces sustainable protein products from microbial protein, a protein derived from microorganisms discovered in the geothermal springs of Yellowstone National Park. Fy protein, as it’s known, is produced through fermentation that requires fewer resources compared to traditional agriculture, making it an environmentally friendly alternative. Nature’s Fynd offers a wide range of products including dairy and meat substitutes.
As attendees arrived, they were welcomed with a bright and refreshing summer French 75 cocktail. The tables were set with chips and salsa for them to enjoy before the main courses. Chef Izard kicked off the event with a live demonstration of how to make gazpacho, a cold and refreshing soup from Spain, using Nature’s Fynd products. The demo was both informative and inspiring, showcasing how Fy protein can be seamlessly integrated into traditional recipes.
After the demonstration, attendees took their seats to enjoy the rest of the carefully curated menu. The first course featured a Whipped Fy Cream Cheese Dip, paired with This Little Goat chili lime crunch and accompanied by taro and sweet potato chips. This was followed by an Avocado Fy Yogurt, served with a medley of berries, sungold tomatoes, and a unique blend of savory and sweet granola, highlighting the versatility of Fy protein in both savory and sweet dishes.
The meal continued with a Quinoa and Beet Salad, dressed in a herby-lime Fy dressing, providing a vibrant and nutritious dish that celebrated fresh, wholesome ingredients. Next, Loaded Tots with black olive Fy malo chimmi offered a satisfying and indulgent bite, elevating a classic comfort food with bold flavors.
Breakfast Empanadas, featuring meatless Fy breakfast patties and sweet potatoes, were next, offering comforting, hearty food that was entirely plant-based. Sweet & Savory Crepes filled with chive and onion Fy cream cheese and strawberry chimmi provided a delightful balance of flavors in every bite.
The event also featured Fy Breakfast Patties Sliders, complete with tomato, arugula, and spicy Fy mayo, demonstrating how plant-based ingredients can create a satisfying and delicious slider experience. To conclude the culinary journey, attendees were treated to Hazelnut Fun Crunch Fy-Ice Cream, a sweet and creamy finale that perfectly highlighted the potential of Nature’s Fynd products in creating delicious desserts.
The brunch at Cabra featuring Nature’s Fynd products was an exploration of sustainable and innovative food solutions. Chef Izard and Nature’s Fynd demonstrated the potential of microbial protein to create delicious meals and transform our approach to food through eco-friendly alternatives.
Following our delightful experience at Cabra, where we got to see firsthand the many ways Nature’s Fynd products could be used, we had the opportunity to speak with Nature Fynd CMO Karuna Rawal about the inspiration behind Nature’s Fynd’s innovative use of microbial protein, the challenges and successes the company has encountered, and their vision for the future of sustainable food solutions.
Q&A with Nature’s Fynd CMO Karuna Rawal
JNL: How do you ensure the company’s focus on sustainability with the pressures to be a profitable company amongst a competitive market?
KR: At Nature’s Fynd, we believe everyone has a part to play in mitigating the climate crisis. We’re here to inspire consumers through optimism about the solutions that are out there. Consumers are no longer willing to accept trade-offs regarding alternative proteins, so we must deliver deliciousness while staying true to our mission of nourishing people and nurturing the planet. We aim to show consumers that there is no compromise to be made between our planet and delicious-tasting food through growing and using Fy™, a sustainable and nutritious protein, to create our foods. By delivering on both taste and sustainability, we can stand out in a competitive market and drive profitability. Additionally, developing everyday foods like Meatless Fy Breakfast Patties, Dairy-Free Fy Cream Cheese, and Dairy-Free Fy Yogurt allow us to showcase the versatility of Fy, our nutritional fungi protein, while still maintaining familiarity with consumers. Choosing a more planet-friendly protein is easier when its flavor and texture rival traditional products.
JNL: What are some of the biggest challenges Nature’s Fynd has faced in educating consumers and changing consumer perceptions about microbial protein?
KR: Our resilient optimism helped us overcome the behavioral challenge of changing the way people eat. Encouraging people to try an entirely new-to-the-world food requires education and deliciousness. In today’s economy, people are reluctant to take the risk, even knowing it’s better for them and more sustainable. Adding to this are meat/dairy subsidies that keep prices artificially low. Efficiently scaling so that the gap between the price of Fy and animal-based options continues to decline is essential. We’re confident that if we develop delicious meatless and dairy-free foods that are better for people and the planet at accessible pricing and can educate consumers about Fy’s benefits through our owned content like our blog, consumers will choose Fy-powered foods.
JNL: What is the process for developing new products at Nature’s Fynd, and how do you decide which products to bring to market?
KR: The versatility of Fy enables the creation of a wide variety of foods. Fy’s three base formats, Fy Milk™, powder, and mats, allow us to make meatless, dairy-free, and shelf-stable foods across every meal occasion, further supporting Fy’s scalability and significant potential impact. Due to the versatility of Fy, we are grateful to have an abundance of options for bringing new foods to the market. Our team conducts extensive research to identify any gaps between taste, nutrition, and sustainability in the alternative protein market and as a consumer-first brand, we listen to what gets our community excited. In 2021, we launched both Meatless Fy Breakfast Patties and Dairy-Free Fy Cream Cheese simultaneously — this was an industry first. The next launch was our Dairy-Free Fy Yogurts, which deliver on taste, nutrition, and planet-friendliness — a combination that’s currently missing in that category.
JNL: Can you share any upcoming product innovations or launches that you’re particularly excited about?
KR: Not only is Fy nutritious and sustainable, but it’s also extremely versatile in terms of texture and taste. Fy can be turned into everything from a powder to a liquid and, from there, into just about anything delicious you can imagine across a variety of cuisines and eating occasions.
We plan to leverage this versatility in future product launches (we can’t share exactly what we’re launching yet!). In January 2024, we launched the first-ever fungi-based yogurt in three flavors—strawberry, peach, and vanilla. Increasing the availability of better for you, planet-friendly options will, in turn, inspire more consumers to choose products that nourish people and nurture the planet.
JNL: How do you see the plant-based and alternative protein industry evolving in the coming years?
KR: We have relied for over 11,000 years on a small group of animals and plants to feed ourselves. However, as planetary resources become scarcer with the impact of climate change and our population heading toward 10 billion, we need new solutions. Fungi, as a source of protein, offer a shortcut through the food chain because they don’t require the acres of land or water needed to support plant growth or animal grazing, making fungi-based protein more efficient to produce than other options. Nature’s Fynd wants to lead the industry in growing a net new protein at scale. Many current alternative proteins, like peas or soy, convert an existing protein from one form into another— from a pea into a veggie burger. Meanwhile, animals only concentrate protein from the plants they eat. However, with Fy, we’re introducing new protein by converting simple ingredients into the protein we need through fermentation with no middleman. This means less wasted land, water, and energy to create more sustainable food.
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