Learn more at www.fungiveg.com
What is FungiVeg?
FungiVeg is a startup developing a tasty, healthy, and sustainable mushroom-based meat substitute. By harnessing the natural texture and protein content of fungal mycelium, we aim to create a minimally processed product that offers the taste and texture of traditional meat while drastically reducing environmental impact.
Why it started
The current plant-based market is dominated by highly processed "vegan junk": extruded soy, pea isolates, and textured vegetable proteins that often contain additives, flavor enhancers, and excess sodium. I wanted a real, complete alternative that:
- Preserves nutritional value (high in protein, fiber, B vitamins)
- Minimizes processing: just a few simple ingredients to make FungiVeg healthy and transparent
- Offers an authentic meat-like texture thanks to the natural resemblance of fungal mycelium to meat
Skills applied and learned
| Area | Specific Skills | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Web Development | HTML/CSS, responsive design | Landing page creation |
| Entrepreneurship | Business model canvas, lean startup methodology, value creation (but the more you know, the more you realize you don't know...) | Everything from idea generation to growth plans |
| Customer Research | Interview techniques, survey design | Conducting interviews to validate taste, pricing, and customer pain points |
| Food Science | Mycelium cultivation, fermentation control, flavor pairing | Optimizing growth conditions to achieve optimal flavor and texture |
Next steps
- Customer interviews: Ongoing discovery interviews with potential early adopters (flexitarians, vegans, and eco-conscious consumers) to validate taste, price, and preferences.
- Prototype refinement: Using interview feedback to refine texture, flavor, and more.
- Pilot production: Small-scale production runs to confirm scalability and quality.
- Launch decision: If enough interviewees express intent to buy, move to larger-scale production and open pre-orders on the website.
- Find a team and/or co-founder
