For Emeryville startup Ripple Foods, it all came down to a glass of milk. But the milk didn’t come from cows. Rather, the primary ingredient in this mystery substance was split yellow peas.
Dairy milk drinker Gabriel Kra had to taste it to believe it. Kra, a venture capitalist, was presented with a glass of “Ripple,” and as he took a swig, his skepticism subsided. His firm, Prelude Ventures, became a lead investor in the product.
“It got the taste, texture and mouthfeel of milk,” Kra said. “I voted with my tastebuds.”
Ripple Foods is betting on other people voting the same way. The company, which develops dairy-like products made from plants, is entering the nearly $2 billion nondairy milk substitute market, according to research firm Mintel. It plans to first compete with products like almond milk and soy drinks. Then, the startup could take a gulp of the even larger U.S. milk market or delve into other nondairy products using other plants.
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