'Green' burger maker savours university deal

A plant-based burger and sausage maker has a taste for expansion after securing an education partnership.

Myco is working with Teesside University.

Bosses say the firm will supply ‘greener’ burgers, sausages and mince to more than 20,000 students and staff.

And they have revealed the company is now in talks with several other universities to supply campus canteens and cafés.

The firm’s Teesside University venture will be driven by its Hooba brand, which combines meat and plant-based foodstuffs made from vertically farmed oyster mushrooms produced at its factory in Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire.

David Wood, Myco chief operating officer, said: “Young adults are the generation driving forward the meat reduction movement.

“By giving students access to our range, we hope it will mean less meat consumed.

“Meat production is one of the biggest contributors to global warming, yet the average UK adult eats almost 100lbs of meat each year, which the planet simply can’t sustain.

“But by working with the meat industry to create hybrid options, we are finding tasty solutions.”

The alliance also builds on a wider partnership between Myco and Teesside University, which has developed artificial intelligence technology to monitor the company’s vertical farms and has seen food scientists help refine ingredients to boost sustainability.

Darren Vipond, Teesside University’s director of campus services, added: “We’re delighted to help our staff, students and visitors reduce their carbon footprint by offering these reduced meat products.

“It’s particularly fantastic to offer a product that has been developed with the help of our own academic expertise.”

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