Heartbest Foods

Heartbest Foods is a Mexican plant-based startup using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to produce dairy alternatives using peas, amaranth, and quinoa. The company used AI to incorporate feedback from product tasting and social media to improve its products.

Heartbest Foods' product range includes plant-based milk and a variety of plant-based cheese, such as mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan. Heartbest Foods’ plant-based milk has similar protein content and 50% of the calcium level of cow’s milk. The company started as a university project and initially sold a limited run of 500 units of cheese. In its first year of operation, 2017, the company generated revenue of MXN 8 million (USD 398,658). As of 2020, Heartbest Foods was selling around 2.5 million units of plant-based cheese a year and 100,000 liters (approximately 26,417 gallons) of plant-based milk. Heartbest Foods is available in Mexico Walmart, Walmart Express, Chedraui, Chedraui Selecto, Soriana, La Comer, Fresko, City Market, Casa Ley and HEB as well as online retailers Amazon MX and Mercado Libre.

Funding and Financials

Heartbest Foods secured USD 2 million in a June 2020 Series A funding round led by Blue Horizon. The startup plans to expand production capacity with the new funding. Heartbest Foods was also a finalist of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year program in 2019 and participates in Google’s incubation program.