Company: Eat the Change

Website: https://eatthechange.com/

Date Introduced: February 2021

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail Price: $5.99

Product Snapshot: Eat the Change, the company on a mission to create chef-crafted and nutrient-dense snacks that help mitigate climate change, has announced the national launch of its first packaged product, Eat the Change Organic Mushroom Jerky. Available in five varieties, including Sea Salt + Cracked Pepper, Hickory Smokehouse, Maple Mustard, Habanero BBQ and Teriyaki Ginger, Eat the Change Organic Mushroom Jerky is a satisfying snack made for consumers seeking exciting new tastes, while exploring a plant-based lifestyle. Starting this week, the jerky will be available in over 300 stores in 37 states, including Giant, Stop & Shop, Fresh Market, MOM’s Organic Market, Erewhon, PCC, Whole Foods, and on Eat the Change’s direct to consumer website.

Eat the Change is the brainchild of Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea and chair of the Board at Beyond Meat, and chef and renowned restaurateur Spike Mendelsohn who share the belief that the foods we eat represent our largest daily environmental impact. With an emphasis on creating new and adventurous flavors, each variety of mushroom jerky was crafted by Chef Spike through a true culinary lens.

“Our goal is to change the food system by giving people daily, actionable choices that make a difference,” said co-founder Seth Goldman. “With Eat the Change Mushroom Jerky, we hope our customers will rethink what they eat and their relationship with the planet. People only get to vote every two or four years, but we eat three times a day, and those choices have an impact.”

Eat the Change’s Organic Mushroom Jerky adheres to the company’s five planet-based commitments:

  • 100 percent plant and fungi based
  • USDA-certified organic
  • Support biodiversity by avoiding the six crops that represent over 57 percent of global agricultural production: sugar cane, corn, rice, wheat, potatoes and soy.
  • Made from upcycled imperfect produce to address food waste
  • Packaged in recyclable materials

Each bag of mushroom jerky starts with organic portobello and crimini mushrooms that are sourced from a family farm in Kennett Square, PA known as the “mushroom capital of the world,” including bruised, oversized and usually discarded stems that would not normally make it to the retail shelf. These “perfectly imperfect” mushrooms are then marinated in a savory spice blend and smoked using fallen hickory branches to mimic the deep, smoky flavors of traditional meat jerky, while also ensuring a 12-month shelf life. Mushrooms were chosen as the feature of Eat the Change’s first packaged product as they are one of the most sustainably grown crops in the US, able to thrive in a variety of climates and conditions in a short period of time.

“In addition to being one of the most sustainable crops, mushrooms were a natural choice for our first product because they are a great canvas to showcase the incredible variety of flavors and ingredients our planet has to offer,” said Mendelsohn. “We wanted to launch a product that was not only good for you, but also truly delicious. Through the meatiness of our mushrooms and the use of flavors like whole mustard seeds, maple syrup and turmeric, we are aiming to expand the definition of what jerky can be.”