Recreate Foods specializes in developing chef-drive, culinary-forward, plant-based chicken alternatives that deliver a better flavor experience than even traditional animal protein itself as well as other plant-based brands. Its meatless-chicken products are packed with non-GMO, soy-free pea protein and contain zero cholesterol. “Recreate Foods stands ahead of the competition by committing to a culinary, not scientific, brand ethos,” says Chef Michael Salem, explaining he and the other founding chefs are focused on what consumers care about most in a meal experience: great taste. “While we leverage cutting-edge technology to develop our base proteins, this means little without guidance from the chef community. This plant-based chicken is made by chefs for chefs to create an eating experience like no other.”
Salem, the former head of culinary innovation at Burger King who played a pivotal role in introducing the plant-based Impossible Whopper to that restaurant’s menu, notes that the plant-based landscape has since become even more dynamic, with new products – both good and bad – entering the competitive space. “Our inspiration for Recreate Foods was born from the commitment to lead this proliferation with a product that not only matches real chicken protein but also improves upon it,” Salem says. “This is a key differentiation of Recreate Foods from others in our industry as we drive a brand ethos committed to compassionate culinary arts and not science.”
Recreate Foods was originally founded in 2021. Over the past year, the company principals have focused on building a foundation to refine its operating model, secure distribution with Sysco and grow the business. Says Salem, “We are just now launching Recreate Foods across the country as we look to create raving fans in future markets throughout North America.”
Leveraging Salem’s extensive culinary background, the company has recreated all the classic cuts of chicken — breaded and unbreaded filets, tenders, nuggets and grounds — with all the flavor and texture yet none of the chicken.
And consumer appreciation of the product has been validated in actual sales, not merely staged taste-testing. M Culinary Concepts, an award-winning hospitality brand whose co-founder Chef Michael DeMaria is one of Recreate Foods’ founding chefs, introduced Recreate Foods’ plant-based chicken at the 2022 WasteManagement Phoenix Open golf tournament, and M Culinary co-founder and CEO Brandon Maxwell relates, “Attendees raved about flavor and texture as we sold out for the week-long event. We doubled quantities for the 2023 tournament and already are planning to serve even more next year. We’ve been excited this year to feature Recreate at several other of our clients’ events and workplace dining operations.”
Salem acknowledges that, as with any startup, executing with lean resources is challenging, but notes, “Our board of directors has been remarkable in providing unwavering financial and intellectual support as we grow the business.” In fact, Salem credits one of the board members for what he characterizes as his “most valuable piece of advice”: “As we thought about the positioning of our brand, he emphasized the importance of being able to understand our target consumers and the specific occasions for which our product is intended. Sounds like simple advice, but in the fast-paced world of startups, this discipline can be easily lost.”
Salem notes, “Over the years, I have conducted countless taste panels across myriad protein analogues, and I’ve never been more impressed with a product’s performance than I am with Recreate Foods. I’ve never been prouder to support and lead a brand and team as I am with this company.”
And the team is solidly Phoenix-based. “Our original founding partner, Freddy Krems, lives and works in Phoenix along with all three of our venture companies: Creation, founded by Bob Agahi and David Sellers; Flagstaff Ventures, led by Craig Weiss; and M Culinary, run by Brandon Maxwell and Chef Michael DeMaria,” Salem notes. “It made the most sense for us to maintain our headquarters in Phoenix as we continue to expand our presence throughout this market.”
As Recreate Foods continues to build its brand story and drive strategic growth over the coming years, “what’s most exciting is the reaction from business-to-business and business-to-consumer when they try our product for the first time,” Salem continues. “Our product is second to none, and we’re realizing the most effective way to expand our reach is quite simply to share our product and encourage competitive reviews.”
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