# Nature's Fynd

> Nature's Fynd is a Chicago food-tech company that grows a complete protein called Fy from a microbe first scooped out of a Yellowstone hot spring during NASA-funded research. Instead of raising animals or growing crops, it ferments the microbe in stacked trays over about three and a half days, then turns the resulting protein into meatless breakfast patties, dairy-free cream cheese and yogurt sold in Whole Foods, Kroger and other national grocers. Backed by more than $500 million from investors including SoftBank and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the company is betting that a fungus from a volcanic spring can feed people using far less land, water and emissions than a cow ever could.

- **Founded:** 2012
- **Headquarters:** Chicago, Illinois, United States
- **Founders:** Thomas Jonas (CEO & Co-Founder), Mark Kozubal (Chief Scientific Officer & Co-Founder), Yuval Avniel (Co-Founder), Richard Macur (Co-Founder), Daniel Livny (Co-Founder), Matthew Strongin (Co-Founder)
- **Team size:** ~90-100 employees
- **Products:** Fy Protein, Meatless Fy Breakfast Patties, Dairy-Free Fy Cream Cheese, Dairy-Free Fy Yogurt, Protein + Veg Bites (incl. Spicy Indian Fy Bites)
- **Notable:** Discovered and commercialized Fy, a novel complete protein from Fusarium strain flavolapis found in Yellowstone hot springs, Received an FDA GRAS 'no questions' letter for Fy protein in 2021, Raised a $350M Series C led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and became a unicorn

## Products & services

- **Fy Protein** — A complete nutritional fungi protein derived from Fusarium strain flavolapis, containing all nine essential amino acids plus fiber and micronutrients; FDA-reviewed as GRAS and used as the base ingredient across the product line.
- **Meatless Fy Breakfast Patties** — Vegan breakfast patties made with Fy protein, about 9g protein per serving; rolled out to nearly 400 Whole Foods Market stores.
- **Dairy-Free Fy Cream Cheese** — Vegan cream cheese made with Fy protein, sold in Original and Chive & Onion at Whole Foods, Kroger and Fresh Thyme.
- **Dairy-Free Fy Yogurt** — A dairy-free yogurt made with Fy protein, ~8g protein per serving, with live active cultures; a NEXTY Award winner.
- **Protein + Veg Bites (incl. Spicy Indian Fy Bites)** — Snackable bites with ~14g protein, 5g fiber and a serving of vegetables; free from the top nine allergens, gluten-free and vegan; launched via NYC's Plantega bodegas.

## Achievements

- Discovered and commercialized Fy, a novel complete protein from Fusarium strain flavolapis found in Yellowstone hot springs
- Received an FDA GRAS 'no questions' letter for Fy protein in 2021
- Raised a $350M Series C led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and became a unicorn
- Launched products in nearly 400 Whole Foods Market stores nationwide
- Featured by Bill Gates on 60 Minutes in 2021
- Won Gold in Sustainable Food at the 2025 Edison Awards
- Won a NEXTY Award for Dairy-Free Fy Yogurt
- Received Health Canada authorization to commercialize Fy-based meat and dairy alternatives

## Latest updates

- **2025-04** — Won Gold in the Sustainable Food category at the 2025 Edison Awards.
- **2024-09** — Expanded its Fy platform into new categories, including Dairy-Free Fy Yogurt and Protein + Veg Bites.
- **2024-01** — Launched Spicy Indian Fy Bites through Plantega-affiliated bodegas across New York City.
- **2023-05** — Meatless Original Breakfast Patties reached nearly 400 Whole Foods Market stores across the U.S.

## Links

- Website: https://naturesfynd.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/natures-fynd
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/naturesfynd
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@naturesfynd
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturesfynd
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/naturesfynd/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@naturesfynd

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/natures-fynd
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-19