Prime Roots

In a peak life stage of experimentation – their journey through UC Berkeley – founders Kim and Josh were well aware of our climate crisis but felt completely powerless against the enormous industries that supported it. Eventually, they realized the one thing they could control: the meat they ate every day. After determining what makes meat, meat (the familiar texture and rich umami), Kim and Josh found a foundation in koji. From that moment, they dreamed of walking into the grocery store and seeing an entire deli case filled with Koji Meats.

Prime Roots sliceable Koji Meats are the first of their kind. Koji is an ingredient that is like the roots of mushrooms. It’s been used for centuries to make soy sauce and miso. Prime Roots sustainably grow koji through simple fermentation similar to beer or wine. Prime Roots performed a life cycle analysis and found out that producing Koji-Meats have 92% less water usage, 91% lower land impact, and 89% less water eutrophication compared to animal protein, and avoid 9kg of CO2 emissions per kg of Koji-Meat. At Prime Roots, we believe in celebrating the culture of meat. We love eating it, but for the sake of the planet, we sought out a new way to enjoy the foods we love so much. We believe there’s a seat at the table for Koji BLT, your favorite childhood sandwich, or Koji Pâté with your finest charcuterie board. It’s not about a total overhaul, just doing a little better every day.