Over the past two years, the plant-based food industry has experienced unchartered growth – 29 percent compared to 2.2 percent in general food retail – and plant-based products have become a staple in consumers’ daily routines. NotCo, a food-tech company in Latin America and backed by key venture capital names, including Bezos Expeditions, has announced its debut in the U.S. with the launch of NotMilk in Whole Foods Market stores nationwide. 
NotMilk is the next generation of plant-based milk, standing out in the crowded landscape of dairy-alternative products by delivering 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. The food-tech company has mastered the art of creating plant-based foods that taste, feel and cook just like their animal-based counterparts.
“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,” said NotCo CEO and Founder Matias Muchnick.
“We know 33 percent of plant-based milk consumers in the U.S. 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.
Lopez-May has an extensive career in the U.S. market having spent 15 years at Group Danone where his last role was president, strategic growth channels and since August 2019 he served as CEO and partner for Garland Food.
“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,” said Parker Brody, senior global category manager at Whole Foods Market. “We are excited and honored to be the first to introduce our customers to NotMilk in the U.S. and look forward to continuing to evolve this partnership.”
NotMilk will be available at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide starting November in two varieties: NotMilk Whole and NotMilk 2 percent Reduced Fat.
NotCo recently announced an $85 million-dollar Series C Round with key 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.
