Why Prime Roots is Giving Out 1 Million Slices of Plant-Based Deli Meat

Written by: Annie Taranshansky

In the United States, it’s estimated that almost 50% of adults eat a sandwich on any given day – a meal we all know to be an iconic staple of the American diet and a favorite for daytime commuters looking to grab a quick and easy lunch at their nearest deli counter. The traditional deli counter can be an intimidating place to redefine, but for some in the plant-based food industry, it’s exciting new ground to tap into. Plant-based deli meat and charcuterie company Prime Roots is doing exactly that, working tirelessly since 2017 to sustainably innovate and reimagine the sandwich. This Earth Month, the PBFA team had the opportunity to speak to Kimberlie Le, co-founder and CEO of the iconic plant-based meat company, to learn more about Prime Roots’ climate-forward vision and the steps they’re taking to achieve it.

The Culinary Power of Koji

Founded seven years ago, as part of the first cohort of the UC Berkeley Alternative Meat Lab, Prime Roots began when Kimberlie Le and Josh Nixon started playing around with a unique and ancient Japanese fungi: Koji. “We had the idea that fungi were where the answers lay,” Kimberlie told PBFA . “My mom and I have been working with koji since I was 4 years old in the kitchen. It feels like pulling from my culinary toolkit.” Koji has been used by Japanese food artists for several thousand years, and is touted for its meaty mouthfeel and allergen-free, umami flavor profile. Better yet, and what we learned was a big draw for Kimberlie and Josh, was that koji can be cured identically to animal-based deli meat and served right at the counter hot or cold – sustainably.

Sustainability on Full Display

After learning about the impact of industrial animal agriculture on the environment, Kimberlie and Josh fully committed to a five-year R&D process to perfect their plant-based koji deli meat while lowering their environmental impact as much as possible before heading to market. To do this, the team conducted a striking Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to assess their impact on our planet. “Because our north star and driving force behind the company is environmental change, we wanted to quantify our impact. Measuring something and investing in it signifies its importance to us as an organization,” Kimberlie shared. The results put the sustainability potential of plant-based foods on full display: Compared to animal meat, Prime Roots’ plant-based deli meat uses 92% less water and has a 91% lower land impact. Their plant-based bacon emits 9 kilograms less carbon per kilogram of product compared to animal-based bacon – equivalent to driving a car for about 300 miles.

“We’ve very likely scaled our impact back even further as our company has scaled up. The LCA has helped us make decisions internally and we wonder with every choice if it will help or harm our impact,” Kimberlie added.

Prime Roots is Going on Tour

Now, equipped with the data, a passion for innovation, and a compelling sustainability story, the Prime Roots team is taking their deli meat nationwide. This past Earth Day, Prime Roots officially launched a campaign touting a catchy tagline – “Cold Cuts for a Hot Planet” – embarking on a sampling tour all across the United States.

“We are kicking off our initiative to give out a million slices in the most sustainable food tour ever – in an electric-powered deli-mobile,” said Kimberlie. In an effort to “turn heads and get some unexpected people sold on plant-based deli meat” the team adopted a Cybertruck named Montagu (named via a contest on their social media with a $1000 cash prize) and is taking their zero-emissions vehicle on a road trip to spread the plant-based wealth with curious consumers across the country. To catch a taste, you can view their tour schedule here.

The Deli Revolution

Kimberlie remains highly optimistic about the future of the plant-based food industry. During our conversation, she reflected on how far our industry has come, and the great strides retail and foodservice marketplaces have taken to make plant-based options more accessible: “We envision a future where any consumer looking for a healthy, more sustainable option at the deli is enabled to make that choice,” Kimberlie shared. “I would love Prime Roots to be in all deli counters as an option – anywhere you can get a sandwich.” And it appears that vision is starting to become more a reality than an aspiration: As of this month, Prime Roots’ deli meat is now available in all deli cases at Earth Fare.

To learn more about Prime Roots, their sustainability story, and where to find them, you can check them out on Instagram, Linkedin, and on their website.