11 minute read
milk with a twist
I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT MILK
Food tech company NotCo is stirring up the alternative milk industry with its new plant-based drink made using artificial intelligence.
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Words: Emily Riches
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Plant-based alternatives to animal products have come a long way. You may have already seen the latest player in the game, NotMilk, landing on shelves at Woolworths. NotMilk is the brainchild
of NotCo, a Chilean food tech company on a mission to produce plant-based and sustainable alternatives to animal products without losing any of the taste, texture or cooking functionality.
“We believe we must completely change the food system and to do so we need to create amazingly delicious products that don’t require people to compromise or make sacrifices,” says Matias Muchnick, CEO and co-founder of NotCo. But it’s how they do this that is really making waves.
Using a one-of-a-kind artificial intelligence program nicknamed “Giuseppe,” the technology is designed to find combinations of plants that replicate animal-based products. They call it ‘taking the animal out of the equation.’ So, while most plantbased milks are characterised by their main ingredients – oat, soy or nuts, for instance – NotMilk is all based on flavour, texture and functionality.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Giuseppe uses machine learning to study the molecular structure of animal products and replicate them using plant-based alternatives. While this may sound like science fiction, the idea works on the premise that a typical Western diet only utilises about 200 of the world's 300,000 edible plants.
Giuseppe has access to vast information about these plants and looks for combinations to replicate animal products as precisely as possible. In this way, NotCo can analyse huge volumes of data to determine patterns and combinations that
would otherwise be difficult or impossible for humans to do alone.
(And if you’re wondering, Giuseppe got his name as an homage to the Italian renaissance painter, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, who is best known for his ‘fruit and vegetable’ portraits.)
The recipes Giuseppe comes up with are then tested by real-life chefs, who enter their sensorial feedback and reviews back into the system, which then develops new recipes. Apparently, Giuseppe’s firstever attempt at NotMilk came out bright green, as it didn’t understand that adding dill would result in a green hue. Lesson learnt! NotCo quickly taught Giuseppe how to recognise the colours of plants as well.
Some of the more interesting ingredients that make up NotMilk include pea protein, pineapple juice concentrate, sunflower oil, salt and cabbage juice concentrate, but results in a silky texture and a remarkably milky taste. According to one writer, “it’s the very mild hint of pineapple that adds a slight milky sweetness to the drink. It’s impressive and certainly delicious.”
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: NOTCO CEO AND CO-FOUNDER MATIAS MUCHNICK; NOTMILK IS SILKY AND CREAMY JUST LIKE MILK; GIUSEPPE IS NOTCO'S AI "CHEF." IMAGES: SUPPLIED.
COFFEE CULTURE
Whether you crave a cappuccino or favor flat whites, there’s no doubt that Australians love their coffee. And with
NotMilk sipping, slurping and frothing just like milk, it could be the next big thing for mixing with our favourite beverage.
“We believe NotMilk will be perfect for Australia’s incredible coffee scene, offering the best plant-based alternative there has ever been,” Matias says. “Given 95% of Aussies love milk in their coffees, this is a huge market ripe for disruption.”
In fact, NotCo is currently in talks with a range of leading local coffee brands to supply NotMilk to cafes throughout Australia.
BETTER FOR THE PLANET
Matias says that his original motivation behind was rooted in creating great food that not only tastes amazing but is better for the world.
According to NotCo, NotMilk takes 92% less water to produce than cow’s milk and produces 74% less CO2 emissions. By replacing a glass of regular cow’s milk with NotMilk each day you could save the equivalent of 52 minutes in the shower, 12 hours of light generated by a lamp or 40 kilometres driven in a car.
With NotBurger and NotChicken also on their way to supermarket shelves near you, NotCo is even further shaking up the Australian food industry. The results overseas speak for themselves. When NotMilk first launched in Chile it was the
number one selling plant-based milk in its first week, while NotBurger sold out three months of supplies in just three weeks. It continues to hold 5 per cent of total market share in the entire burger category, including the animal-based.
“The world needs a change today,” says Matias. “This is not just a food revolution, it is a revelation. For a better world, a more sustainable world and a world just as delicious.”
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CHEESE, PLEASE!
EWE+3 is Australia’s first sheep, camel, goat and Jersey milk cheese: an innovation born from difficult circumstances that has brought the community together.
Words: Matilda Meikle
A project brought on by the 2022 floods in eastern Australia, this cheese is a collaboration between Towri Sheep Cheeses, Tommerup’s Dairy Farm, Summer Land Camels and Naughty Little Kids. All these farms can be found in the Scenic
Rim, a stunning region in South East Queensland including six national parks, the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests, as well as many gourmet and winery experiences. What better place to create this delicious new cheese?
THE IDEA
When the floods hit New South Wales and Queensland earlier this year, farms across the country were badly affected. This
included Towri Sheep Cheeses, a leading agri-tourism operator and producer of award-winning cheeses on over 300 acres of land.
“The floods caused absolute
devastation to our business, livestock and family farm, including the collapse of our main water supply,” says Dallas Davidson, who runs Towri with her mother. “Milk
production went down 100 per cent as our dairy was completely flooded. It was pretty horrid… but we emptied our gumboots, dried out our work gear and thought about how we could keep moving forward.
“Then, it hit us, we could simply ask our friends – two and four legged.”
CLOCKWISE FROM
LEFT: THE EWE+3 CHEESE TEAM; DALLAS DAVIDSON, OWNER OF TOWRI SHEEP CHEESES; THE EWE+3 CHEESE IS AN AUSTRALIAN FIRST. IMAGES: SUPPLIED.
This initial idea developed into a collaboration with Tommerup’s Dairy, producers of acclaimed dairy products and famed for their chemical-free and
biodynamic practices. Together, these farms created Moo & Ewe, a Jersey and sheep milk range. But they didn’t stop there.
“We thought – let’s take this further. We live in the glorious Scenic Rim, a region of dairies, of inspired producers, and of truly creative partnerships born of Eat Local Week, so let’s create a collaboration cheese.”
Towri and Tommerup connected with Summer Land Camels and Naughty Little Kids, two other producers in the region who were eager to experiment. After lots of trial and error, EWE+3 was born.
THE FARMS
Towri Sheep Cheeses is home to over 350 Awassi sheep, specifically bred for milking. Their property also includes a cheesery, visitors area, cheese tasting areas and beautiful gardens.
Their initial partnership was with Tommerup’s Dairy Farm, a sixthgeneration family farm emphasising clean, green practices. They produce rich dairy products in their on-farm creamery. The collaboration also includes
Summer Land Camels, Australia’s largest commercial Camel Dairy, and Naughty Little Kids, an award-winning cheese and gelati producer catering to the allergy-free market.
Clearly, these farms know what they’re doing, and the results are delicious.
THE CHEESE
EWE+3 is a sheep, camel, goat and Jersey milk cheese. The complexity of the different milks means the natural rind
cheese is full of flavour. This includes an
earthy, buttery undertone, making it the perfect companion to a glass of wine and a relaxing evening.
EWE+3 has already been picked up by some of the major restaurants in Queensland, including The Paddock, ESSA, Blume Restaurant and Mason Wines, with enquiries rolling in from other states. It’s also available at Towri’s
Farmer’s Markets, and at their monthly Open Farm Days.
THE POWER OF POST
Mental health has always been important. But now more than ever it’s vital that we check in with our loved ones and start a conversation around wellbeing. Thanks to Australia Post, this is becoming easier. In the leadup to R U OK? Day, they teamed up with Beyond Blue to deliver free mental health postcards to 3 million households around the country, sharing support for those experiencing hard times, and keeping Australia connected.
Words: Matilda Meikle
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MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS
With the impacts of the COVID-19 lockdowns still taking toll, the discussion around mental health is vital to keeping Australians feeling safe and supported. According to the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2021, 15 per cent of Australians experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress, and 16 per cent of households had at least one financial stressor. Issues such
as anxiety and depression are becoming increasingly common amongst all age groups, leading to poorer mental health outcomes as communities fight to maintain strong wellbeing.
But it’s not all bad news. The survey also found that 61 per cent of Aussies used at least one strategy to manage their mental health, and 3.4 million people saw a health professional. It seems we’re
finding new ways to stay mentally fit, including exercise, positive thinking and taking time to do things we enjoy. The postcards from Australia Post are only strengthening this move to greater awareness and change.
SENT WITH LOVE
Feeling connected can make all the difference to someone struggling through hard times. Australia Post is aiming to make mental health a part of everyday conversation and build more connected communities. Their vast network of offices
is spread across over 4,000 communities around Australia, putting them in the perfect position to make this change.
This isn’t the first time our letterboxes
were filled with messages of love, as the postcard project was also undertaken last year. Due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, many people found themselves sending a postcard for the first time in years, allowing them to reach out to the people that matter. The mental health advice on the cards was helpful for anyone feeling lost or isolated in the unusual circumstances of the pandemic.
According to Australia Post General Manager of Community and Stakeholder Engagement, Nicky Tracey, they were also wildly popular.
“We’re thrilled with the response to this wellbeing initiative last year. It was great to hear stories of people writing postcards for the first time in years and also the joy of finding a surprise message from a loved one in their letter box.
“This year, with many Australian households under cost-of-living and other pressures, this is a really simple way people can reach out to check in on loved ones or send messages of love and support.”
Clearly, this mental health check-in has been very impactful in the past. But what does it look like this year? And how can we make a difference?
THIS PAGE: AUSTRALIA POST AND BEYOND BLUE ARE CONNECTING COMMUNITIES WITH THEIR POST CARD INITIATIVE. IMAGES: SUPPLIED.
THE NEXT STEP
With Mental Health Month in October, this partnership between Australia Post and Beyond Blue comes at the perfect time. Those wanting to show their support for family and friends could send their loved ones a postcard for free, containing a blank space to write a message, and a tearoff section with helpful information about staying connected for our mental health.
Executive Officer Georgie Harman says this initiative is vital in spreading important mental health messages across the country.
“This postcard campaign is another way to get people talking about mental health and supporting each other,” she says.
This initiative is an example of how Aussies continue to look after each other despite tough times, and emphasises the importance of good wellbeing.
For anyone experiencing mental health concerns, or needing support, you can go to the Beyond Blue website at www. beyondblue.org.au, or try talking to your loved ones. As a community, we can ensure that everyone feels seen and connected, and it’s as simple as sending a postcard.
For those wanting to reach out to someone who is struggling, it’s important to get the conversation started, and remain open and supportive for the people that matter most.
