The Better Meat Co Becomes BMC Ingredients to Expand Mycelium’s Market Reach

Sacramento-based food technology company The Better Meat Co is now doing business as BMC Ingredients, expanding its mycelium ingredients market reach beyond meat alternatives to categories such as smoothies, baked goods, pasta, and bars. The company will offer its Rhiza mycelium ingredients in two formats: Rhiza Tex for texture-driven applications in meat products, and Rhiza Pro for applications requiring solubility, emulsification, or gelation. Both formats contain compounds associated with longevity research.

BMC Ingredients is positioning Rhiza as an alternative to processed protein isolates like whey, emphasizing its whole-food format that delivers protein, fiber, and culinary functionality without additional processing. The company, which received GRAS status from the FDA and USDA for its fermentation technology, recently closed a $31 million Series A round to scale production. A commercial-scale facility is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2027, with a projected output of 100 dry metric tons of mycelium ingredients per month to support broader commercialization for food manufacturers globally. CEO and co-founder Paul Shapiro stated that the new name better reflects the versatility and functionality of Rhiza mycelium ingredients in the food industry.