MEET KOJI:
HE'S A REAL FUNGI
Prime Roots is made by meat eaters. At Prime Roots, they want to celebrate the culture of meat. We all love eating it, but for the sake of the planet, know there has to be a better way.
In a peak life stage of experimentation – their journey through UC Berkeley – founders Kim and Josh were well aware of our climate crisis, but felt completely powerless against the enormous industries that supported it. Eventually, they realized the one thing they could control: the meat they ate every day. After determining what makes meat, meat (the familiar texture and rich umami), Kim and Josh found a foundation in koji. From that moment, they dreamed of walking into the grocery store and seeing an entire deli case filled with Koji-Meats.
Koji, which is similar to the roots of mushrooms, is an ancient ingredient that has been used to ferment soy sauce and miso for centuries. Prime Roots grows their koji in a sustainable way through simple fermentation similar to beer or wine. They take the koji in its whole and purest form, then mix clean fats and seasonings in to make meats that taste, feel, and look just like the “conventional” animal product. Most plant proteins (like soy, pea, and gluten) must be isolated, modified, and heavily processed to come even close to a meaty product. With koji, they are able to use something straight from the planet to make products we can all stand behind.
In comparison to the years it takes to grow an animal or 10+ days for other fungi, koji only takes 2-3 days to grow, and produces nearly 0 byproducts. Additionally, it takes 17x less water to produce Prime Roots Koji-Bacon than pork bacon, which is the equivalent of 2 Olympic swimming pools. 9kgs of CO2 emissions are avoided per kg of Prime Roots Koji-Meat when compared to animal protein. This is the equivalent of driving 22 miles in a passenger car.
Don't be shy, give koji a try! We hope that you'll make a simple sandwich swap the next time you are at the Berkeley Bowl Deli.
To learn more about Prime Roots and Koji-Meats, visit primeroots.com or follow @primeroots on Instagram.
