MyForest Foods

High-Level Overview

MyForest Foods is a food technology company specializing in mycelium-based plant-based meat alternatives, producing products like MyBacon (a meatless bacon from oyster mushroom mycelium) and MyPulledPork. It serves consumers seeking sustainable, clean-label alternatives to animal products, solving the problem of creating whole-cut textures and flavors without pea/soy proteins or extensive processing, using just five simple ingredients: organic oyster mushroom mycelium, coconut oil, sugar, salt, and natural flavors.[1][2][4][6][7] The company has achieved strong growth momentum, operating the world's largest vertical mycelium farm in Green Island, New York, with nationwide availability at over 2,500 Whole Foods locations, partnerships with farms like Whitecrest Mushrooms and Pietro Farms, gross margin positivity, and plans for foodservice expansion.[2][3][4]

Origin Story

MyForest Foods was co-founded in 2020 by Eben Bayer and Gavin McIntyre, spinning off from their parent company Ecovative, which pioneered mycelium-based packaging. The idea traces back to a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute challenge from professor Burt Swersey to "do something meaningful," inspiring their work with mycelium.[2] Formerly known as Atlast Food (with roots listed as 2018 in some records), the company shifted focus to food via a proprietary AirMycelium process, growing dense mycelium "roots" (not fruits) on hardwood chips in silos, taking just 12 days for 100-foot slabs turned into "mush bellies" for bacon.[1][2] Early traction included opening the world's largest vertical mycelium farm in 2022 and debuting at Natural Products Expo West, marking scaled production readiness.[2]

Core Differentiators

• Whole-cut mycelium growth: Uses patented solid-state fermentation (AirMycelium) to farm dense, root-like mycelium slabs on substrates like hardwood chips, avoiding high-capex submerged fermentation; yields complete protein with meat-like texture, unlike ground pea/soy alternatives.[1][2][4][6]
• Clean-label simplicity: MyBacon made with only five organic ingredients, brined for bacon-like sizzle, flavor, and color (via beet juice); enables low-cost, simple downstream processing.[2][4][6][7]
• Scalable farm network: World's largest vertical farm (1M+ lbs/year capacity) plus partnerships with existing mushroom farms for rapid expansion; turned gross margin positive with consistent yields.[2][4]
• Diverse team expertise: Combines engineers, agriculturists, culinarians, and scientists, unified via internal tools like "MyNet" for cross-disciplinary innovation in sustainable food.[5]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

MyForest Foods rides the mycelium revolution in alt-protein tech, leveraging fungi for sustainable, nutrient-dense meat substitutes amid cooling plant-based meat sales (down 10.2% YoY to $70M in Sep 2025 per Circana).[4] Timing aligns with demand for whole-food, low-ingredient alternatives over processed options, capitalizing on market forces like environmental concerns (mycelium's low footprint) and clean-label trends.[1][2][6] It influences the ecosystem by partnering with traditional farms (e.g., Whitecrest, Pietro), enabling mycelium integration into agriculture, expanding retail/foodservice footprints, and proving economic viability (EBITDA positive targeted H1 2027).[2][4]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

MyForest Foods is poised for foodservice liftoff with MyPulledPork as a versatile center-of-plate option, building on retail success and farm network momentum toward EBITDA positivity.[4] Trends like precision ag-tech, fungi fermentation scalability, and shifting consumer preferences for authentic textures will propel growth, potentially influencing alt-protein norms by democratizing mycelium farming. As it evolves from retail pioneer to ecosystem enabler, expect broader product lines and global partnerships, solidifying its role in sustainable food tech—reinventing "bacon" one mycelium slab at a time.[2][4]