Nosh.bio’s koji-based beef mince can help manufacturers modify or improve existing processes across a range of applications with cost-savings and ease of integration in mind.
Nosh.bio's koji-based hybrid beef mince can be a versatile tool for protein processing.
Image courtesy of Nosh.bio
When Noshi.bio, also known as Nosh BioFoods, decided to use Japanese fungus koji to make a protein product, the company aimed to target sustainability benefits and enhance protein processing. The Berlin-based company has taken its initiative further with the launch of a hybrid beef mince that uses koiji as its base, which can help processors add to their beef, meat, or other protein operations with cost-efficiency and feasible integration.
In mid-September, Nosh.bio showcased its hybrid beef mince in the foodservice sector by collaborating with Speisemanufaktur Adlershof, a Berlin restaurant and cafeteria, to provide food products containing the mince to the public. Dishes included burgers, meatballs, and lasagna, but the mince can be applied to a range of products.
“Our Koji-Based Hybrid Beef Mince was created for versatility, and the range of potential applications are enormous, just think of any application which would contain animal-only mince,” Alex Chausson, Chief Commercial Officerat Nosh.bio shares with ProFood World.
Chausson says the mince’s utility extends into ready-to-eat meals and convenience products where versatility and consistency are essential. In addition, she says the mince is well-suited for rapid-service restaurants and institutional catering, where scalability, consistency, and convenience are critical, stating, “this breadth of applications positions the mince as a drop-in solution across multiple product categories.”
What processors should know about the mince’s process integration
Meatballs are one of several applications processors can apply the fungus-based beef mince to.Image courtesy of Nosh.bio
When it comes to incorporating the koji-based beef mince into preexisting or new processes, Chausson stresses integration without hassle.
“From the beginning, ease of integration has been at the heart of the development of our products. Contrary to many alternative proteins, our Koji protein does not require extrusion or heavy processing. The ingredient arrives with a natural, meat-like texture, ready to use in existing workflows and allowing processors to handle it much like conventional minced beef, without major adjustments to equipment or operations, supporting both industrial scalability and efficiency,” Chausson states.
“This makes the koji protein a cost-effective drop-in solution, easy to use in the existing production lines of the small and large manufacturers with whom we would aim to work in B2B partnerships,” Chausson adds.
To give processors a glimpse of steps needed to add the mince to their products or processes, Chausson points to traditional beef mince to illustrate that out-the-way modifications are not necessary.
“The steps would be the same as with conventional beef mince. The hybrid mince is simply mixed, formed, cooked, and packaged using standard processes. Because it integrates so smoothly into production lines, processors do not need to add complexity or reconfigure systems, making adoption straightforward and cost-effective,” Chausson says.
According to Chausson, the mince does not need extra cooking time, as once it is formed and seasoned, chefs and processors can cook it exactly the same way and for the same time as convectional meat products like burgers, meatballs, and lasagna.
So, how can the beef mince save processors money, time, or resources? As far as savings go, Chausson says the koji protein used to create hybrid end products is cost competitive, as it comes at a lower price point than conventional beef.
“Our ingredient offers cost advantages because the fermentation process runs on low-cost agricultural feedstocks and doesn’t require energy-intensive extrusion or freeze-drying. The process is inherently efficient with minimal downstream processing, supporting lower unit costs and stable pricing,” says Chausson. “By retrofitting existing food-grade facilities like breweries, we can cut CAPEX (capital expenditure) by over 80% and scale production six times faster than building new plants. In parallel, hybrid mince significantly lowers land, water, and carbon intensity compared to beef, aligning with sustainability targets.”
“All these efficiencies in the manufacturing process translate directly into savings for processors, with lower unit costs and price stability in the face of skyrocketing global meat demand and prices,” Chausson explains.
In the end, using such a protein product can not only offer processors cost-efficiency and a straightforward avenue to modify processes, but it can help companies expand the types of customers they serve. Nosh.bio’s koji-based beef mince helps processors combine meat and alternative proteins to give flexitarians and omnivores the chance to cut back on meat without eliminating it entirely.
The company’s 2025 beef mince showcase helped get insights that demonstrate the ingredient’s versatility and help validate its potential for adoption by industry partners.
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Meatballs are one of several applications processors can apply the fungus-based beef mince to.Image courtesy of Nosh.bio
