Canada-based Big Mountain Foods has dramatically enhanced the flavor and nutrition of its Lion’s Mane Mushroom Burger with a tannin-rich sidestream from the wine industry while reducing food waste to boot. 

The plant-based formulation incorporates Ruby Purée into the mix, a tannin-rich and clean label ingredient upcycled from the winemaking process. It’s produced by Crush Dynamics, a sustainable food tech company also based in Canada. 

“Many plant-based brands are looking for complex savory and umami flavors that drive consumer preference, but they find it difficult to locate an ingredient that delivers this taste profile with a consumer-friendly clean label and regulatory approval across broad geographies,” Shaun Richmond, VP of sales at Crush Dynamics tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

“With our products, consumers immediately recognize and appreciate that ‘grape puree’ or ‘grape powder’ is a natural ingredient that is good for them.”

Jasmine Byrne, COO of Big Mountain Foods, says the company is thrilled to launch its sustainably positioned Lion’s Mane Burger. 

“From the mushrooms we source to the upcycled tofu and Crush Dynamics’ ingredients, consumers can be very proud of their purchase and what they are putting in their body.” 

The latest launch comes following the success of Big Mountain Foods’ Lion’s Mane Mushroom Crumble. 

Lion’s Mane Mushroom has gained more attention in recent years for its positive effects on brain health. Within the supplement space, lion’s mane grew over 100% per year during a five-year period that ended in the first quarter of 2022, according to Innova Market Insights. 

Waste not
importantly, the upcycled ingredient offers an avenue for nutrition that otherwise would have been wasted. 

“One-third of all food waste around the globe is happening at the manufacturing level,” says Byrne.   

Incorporating upcycled ingredients like Crush Dynamics’ is a value-add to reduce the food waste crisis, she says. 

“Crush Dynamics’ innovative ingredients provide a clear point of difference in the taste and nutrition of our products. We see Crush Dynamics and upcycled ingredients as an important part of our differentiation and expansion into the US market,” says Byrne.

Kirk Moir, CEO of Crush Dynamics, adds: “Our engagement with Big Mountain Foods demonstrates what is possible with upcycled ingredients.” 

Both companies are members of the Upcycled Food Association, a global community of businesses committed to reducing food waste. 

Valorizing wine derivatives 
Ruby Purée is created using the company’s patented process to transform tannin-rich agricultural side streams into high-performance food ingredients.

The company takes the grape skins, seeds and lees (remaining yeasts) that are discarded during the winemaking process to produce a cross-functional set of ingredients. Crush Dynamics ingredients are plant-based, nutrient-dense, rich in polyphenols and have potential to make “a huge impact” on the global food and beverage industry’s most pressing challenges, according to Richmond. 

“We offer a way for food manufacturers to enhance flavor to their products while adding nutrition and ensuring the finished product meets dietary guidelines.”

Crush Dynamics takes the nutritious ingredients that brands like Big Mountain use today and elevates them in taste profile. 

The company’s upcycled ingredients can mask off-flavors and help eliminate bitter notes while allowing for a significant reduction of calories, sugar and sodium. 

“Of equal importance, often even better-for-you ingredients label in a way that consumers don’t understand or trust,” says Richmond.

“When 37% of consumers are turning to plant-based diets to feel healthier themselves, it’s important to deliver a product they can feel good about.”

He adds that delivering a way for food and beverage companies to meet their environmental and sustainability commitments is “an important bonus.” 

More ingredients in the works
Through Crush Dynamics’ work with global flavor houses and brands in plant-based food processing, the company has successfully confirmed the benefits of its fermentation technology on multiple agricultural side streams that can be reintroduced back into the human food chain with substantial value.

“We continue to evaluate the additional impact our technology can offer across different side streams and geographies,” adds Richmond. 

Angie Crone, CEO of Upcycled Food Association, adds that the association sees the list of Upcycled Certified ingredients growing quickly through innovative work by companies like Crush Dynamics and their partnership with Big Mountain Foods.

Crone notes that the Lion’s Mane Mushroom Burger, alongside six other first-to-market innovations using upcycled ingredients, will be available for purchase in selec stores across the US this spring.