Chris Bryson, Founder and CEO of New School Foods, is bringing a sea change to the world of fish and meat substitutes.

His company’s plant-based salmon filet has gained the attention of media outlets around the world, including CNBC, Scientific American and the British newspaper Metro.

“Our product is different in that it’s built to look, cook, taste and flake like real salmon – and has the same nutritional profile,” explains Bryson. “It transitions from raw to cooked, and replicates salmon muscle fibres and connective tissue to create the same texture and mouthfeel.”

And his scalable platform that can produce whole-cut meat alternatives, including salmon filets, has attracted millions in funding by investors and granting agencies.

“There are many plant-based options available already, but most are ground products like nuggets and patties,” Bryson adds. “Delivering a whole-cut product for the market could have a significant impact, especially as more and more consumers look to find healthier and more climate-friendly food choices.”

Bryson’s Toronto-based startup worked closely with researchers at Toronto Metropolitan University to develop its proprietary scaffolding technology, which uses a cold process to re-create the muscle fibers found in fish.

NPC’s Access to Talent program is contributing $75,000 to New School Foods to hire a lead food materials scientist to continue to improve its plant-based alternative meat products.

According to Bryson, “In a high-innovation company like ours, people are our greatest asset. NPC funding allows us to fill a key position on our team, so we can further research and develop no-compromise alternative meats that appeal to a broad audience. Today’s plant-based ingredients don’t yet deliver on the properties of animal-derived proteins – our food materials scientists can help us find ways to close that gap.”

New School Foods is working closely with top North American chefs to perfect the flavour and texture of their plant-based salmon filet before venturing into grocery stores. Early next year, they’ll unveil the salmon alternative in several high-end restaurants, as a way to drum up excitement among a broad range of consumers.

“Alternative protein products need to appeal to an audience that reaches beyond vegans and vegetarians, and New School Foods exists to do just that,” says Bryson. “Our focus on research and development paved the way for us to develop our own technology. Our goal now is to help other companies improve their products, so we can attract more people to alternative meats and, in turn, ensure the greatest environmental impact possible.”

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