This week, Chicago-based startup Nature’s Fynd launched a breakfast bundle that includes vegan sausage and dairy-free cream cheese. The Fy Breakfast Bundle is the startup’s first consumer product and is now available for pre-order on the company’s website for $14.99 with shipping to the contiguous 48 states with a broader launch planned for later this year. Nature’s Fynd creates its vegan meat and dairy products using “Fy,” a nutrient-dense fungi protein with origins in Yellowstone National Park

Finding Fy 

In 2008, Nature’s Fynd co-founder Mark Kozubal, PhD, stumbled upon the microbe while researching fungal life forms that can survive extreme conditions for NASA. Since then, Kozubal has been isolating the microorganisms, feeding them glycerin and starches, and fermenting them in a laboratory setting to create Fy—an animal-free complete protein that contains all nine amino acids and is high in fiber and vitamins. In addition to the vegan breakfast sausage patties and dairy-free cream cheese offered in the bundle, Nature’s Fynd is also creating other products with Fy—such as vegan nuggets, hot dogs, hamburgers, and more—through its process which uses a fraction of the water, land, and energy compared to traditional protein sources.

“We choose optimism so that we can find a way to do more with less. Using our novel liquid-air surface fermentation technology, we’re creating a range of sustainable foods that nourish our bodies and nurture our planet for generations to come. We’re really excited to be at the beginning of this journey with the launch of our first-ever limited release of Fy Breakfast Bundles,” Nature’s Fynd CEO Thomas Jonas said. “We’ve deeply studied our consumers and we know that Fy’s unique versatility, which delivers great tasting meat and dairy alternatives for every occasion, is highly appealing.”

To date, the company has raised $150 million in equity and debt financing to help bring its innovative Fy protein to market.