Formerly named Boston Meats, the company uses technology licensed from Harvard University to spin plant proteins into faux meat that resembles muscle cuts. To date, it has developed beef steaks, pulled pork and chicken breast. The funds will be used to scale-up production ahead of market launch by the end of 2022.
The seed funding was led by Lowercarbon Capital, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm that, according to its website, backs “[kick*ss] companies that make real money slashing CO2 emissions, sucking carbon out of the sky, and buying us time to unf**k the planet.” Chris Sacca, co-founder of Lowercarbon Capital, notes that the planet’s roughly 6 billion meat-eating account for 15% of total carbon emissions. “Cheers to the vegans, but to win over everybody else you need steaks and chops made from plants that are just as tasty off the grill as what gets cleaved off a carcass,” he adds.
Portman also recently invested in France-based plant-based bacon company La Vie.