Myco calls on meat industry collaboration for 50/50 hybrid burger

Plant-based manufacturer Myco has called for collaboration from the meat industry to create the “holy grail” 50/50 burger.

The North Yorkshire manufacturer said its oyster mushroom-based plant protein Hooba was “capable of making the perfect blended burger”.

Blended or hybrid products, containing both plant and animal protein, could encourage more people to swap out meat in their diets, said the brand.

“Historically, blended products have fallen short in taste – or fallen apart when cooked,” said CEO David Wood. “However, we’ve used Hooba to make 50/50 burgers and the results are staggering. Not only do they hold their shape perfectly, but there’s no difference in taste.”

Wood said this was a “huge moment” for food manufacturers and offered the opportunity to create “products that are more sustainable, more cost-effective and don’t sacrifice taste or quality”.

Myco has created a series of videos showing how well the oyster mushroom-based protein performs in a 50/50 mix with meat.

“The way forward isn’t abstinence, it is about reduction,” said co-founder John Shepherd, who believes solving the climate crisis means working with the meat industry, not against it.

“We’ve always said we don’t want to turn the world vegan,” Shepherd added. “Our goal with Hooba is to create a product that makes swapping out meat so easy you don’t even have to notice it, and that’s why this breakthrough could be a real game-changer.”

Myco is manufactured in a vertically farmed site with every stage of development from farming to development through to production taking place under one roof.