AI is rapidly changing and disrupting every industry, and the food sector is not an exception. AI-powered technology is transforming how food is produced, consumed, and experienced (Jamele, 2023). The food-tech company The Not Company (NotCo) is a perfect example of how the adoption of machine learning models changes the design, formulation, and development of food products.
NotCo is a Chilean plant-based food company founded in 2015 with the vision to unlock a new era of product innovation (NotCo, 2025). To achieve this, they developed Giuseppe, an AI Chef, that replicates the characteristics of animal-based food such as texture, color, flavor, and scent, using vegetal and unconventional ingredients. For instance, the company formulated NotChicken (see image), a product that mimics chicken, with corn and peach as its ingredients.
This innovative approach quickly positioned NotCo in Latin America. In 2022, they entered the US market through a joint venture with Kraft Heinz. Their goal is to empower Kraft Heinz’s robust portfolio of brands with NotCo’s expertise in producing plant-based alternatives (KraftHeinz, 2022). This international growth and validation of its technology led NotCo to reevaluate its strategy.
As a result, NotCo has made an interesting change in its business model. Instead of focusing only on producing plant-based foods with its state-of-the-art technology, they decided to empower other companies in their research and development (R&D) stages by providing access to its AI model through an API. Now companies from all over the world can easily receive Giuseppe’s assistance to “identify untapped market opportunities, optimize formulations at unprecedented speed, and accelerate their competitive products from concept to consumer” (NotCo, 2025). Furthermore, companies that integrate NotCo’s AI model within their R&D processes can renovate and improve their portfolio faster. Specifically, they reduce their product development cycle by 80% (Mridul, 2025), allowing them to adapt quickly in an industry where government regulations and customer preferences are constantly evolving.
Personally, I believe that NotCo’s business model shift is noteworthy because it monetizes its internal tech by offering it as a service. It resembles the case of Amazon, which started as a book e-commerce platform but, after realizing the value of its internal infrastructure, created Amazon Web Services (AWS) and offered it as a service. And AWS is nowadays one of the world’s most widely used cloud solutions. In a similar way, NotCo adapted the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. It transitioned from an AI-powered food producer to an analytics and software enterprise that can enable a future where our food is produced in collaboration with AI chefs.
Which companies do you think may also shift their business model and offer their internal technology as a solution?
References
Jamele, A. (2023, May 27). Cómo funciona Giuseppe, la IA que usa NotCo para producir sus alimentos a base de plantas. Forbes Argentina. https://www.forbesargentina.com/innovacion/como-funciona-giuseppe-ia-usa-notco-producir-sus-alimentos-base-plantas-n34487
KraftHeinz. (2022). NOTCO – Plant-based Products | United States | Kraft Heinz. https://www.kraftheinz.com/notco/about-us
Mridul, A. (2025, March 26). NotCo’s AI is Revolutionising the Food Industry – And Big Brands Are Eating It Up. Green Queen. https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/notco-ai-giuseppe-food-tech-kraft-heinz-not-company/
NotCo. (2025). NotCo | Find new formulas for success. https://notco.ai/
NotCo. (2025). About. https://tech.notco.com/about
