The taste and texture of NotMilk are identical to dairy milk.

NotCo is a Latin American foodtech startup that uses artificial intelligence in the formulation of its plant-based milk NotMilk. Backed by VCs such as Bezos Expeditions, Maya Capital, Indie Bio, Humboldt, and L Catterton, the company has launched NotMilk at Whole Foods Markets across the U.S. (Progressive GROCER)

According to Lucho Lopez-May, CEO of NotCo in North America, NotMilk does not compromise on any of the features of real dairy milk – appearance, taste, or texture.

Giuseppe, the AI algorithm

The founders started with the mission to remove animals from food production. They created an AI algorithm dubbed Giuseppe that could learn, mix, and match unlimited numbers of plant combinations to deliver the taste found in animal-based products.

In the process, NotCo’s food would be sustainable, and may even taste superior to the original product.

For instance, NotMilk Whole contains ingredients such as pea protein, chicory root fiber, sugar, pineapple juice concentrate, coconut oil, sunflower oil, virgin coconut oil, cabbage juice concentrate, among others.

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

On its website, NotCo says NotMilk is kind to the planet because, compared to regular milk, it uses 74% less energy and 92% less water. Besides, it releases 74% less CO2 emissions.

NotCo venture funding

According to FoodBev, NotCo raised $85 million in a Series C funding round in September, preparatory to a U.S. launch of its plant-based products.

The round was co-led by Future Positive, which also invested in Beyond Meat and Memphis Meat, and consumer-focused private equity firm L Catterton. They join existing investors such as Kaszek Ventures, Indie Bio, and Bezos Expeditions (of Jeff Bezos fame).

NotCo was founded in 2015 and claims to have become the largest and fastest-growing food-tech company in Latin America in less than three years.

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