Planetarians
Planetarians produces plant-based whole-cut meat alternatives from upcycled spent brewer's yeast and soybean sidestreams using patented high-moisture extrusion, serving K-12 schools, foodservice operators, and private-label CPG brands through major US distributors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersHayward, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Planetarians does
Planetarians is a US Climate/FoodTech company, founded in 2013 and headquartered in Hayward, California, that produces whole-cut plant-based meat alternatives from upcycled agricultural sidestreams. Its core inputs are spent brewer's yeast — sourced primarily through a strategic partnership with AB InBev — and defatted soybean oilcake, combined via a patented high moisture extrusion process into a two-ingredient formulation that delivers 24% protein, 6% fiber, and an 82% PDCAAS protein quality score. The product line spans Savory Strips, Savory Steak Tips, and Chef's Cut Tenders, positioned for ready-to-heat-and-serve applications across institutional kitchens.
The company's go-to-market is B2B, distributing through the three largest US foodservice distributors — Sysco, US Foods, and Goldstar — alongside a direct institutional sales motion led by a Chef consultant (Max Barnthouse). Primary customer segments are K-12 schools, foodservice and hospitality operators (including The Ritz Carlton, Google Blue Plate, and the University of Texas at Austin), and private-label CPG brands; food bank distribution is a secondary use case. The company emphasizes price parity with chicken and a substantially lower environmental footprint (claimed 120x lower GHG emissions than animal meat and 50x better carbon footprint than other plant-based meats) as core value propositions.
Planetarians has raised approximately $6.75 million in disclosed funding across a $750K seed round in March 2019 and a $6M Seed II in February 2023 led by Mindrock Capital with participation from Anheuser-Busch InBev, SOSV, Techstars, Traction Club Partners, and ZX Ventures. The team of 11–50 employees operates a recently opened full-scale production facility in Hayward and is led by co-founder and CEO/CTO Aleh Manchuliantsau, with industrial and protein chemistry leadership drawn from Maple Leaf Foods, Tyson, Hormel, and Upside Foods. The company holds granted patents covering its process and product and has secured FDA GRAS and Non-GMO Project certifications.
Planetarians firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Planetarians
- Legal name
- Planetarians
- Website
- https://planetarians.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Planetarians produces plant-based whole-cut meat alternatives from upcycled spent brewer's yeast and soybean sidestreams using patented high-moisture extrusion, serving K-12 schools, foodservice operators, and private-label CPG brands through major US distributors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Planetarians industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Plant-Based Meat Alternatives
- NAICS
- Food Manufacturing (311), Other Food Manufacturing (3119)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Plant-Based Meat Manufacturers (End-to-End Brands) (AFANAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals) (AFANAKAO)
Keywords
Where Planetarians is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hayward
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Planetarians business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Plant-Based Meat Product Sales: Sale of ready-to-eat and heat-and-serve plant-based meat products including Savory Strips, Lusty Bits, BBQ-style strips, and Chef's Cuttenders to institutional foodservice customers and through private label arrangements.
- Private Label / CPG Ingredients: Supply of Better-for-you protein as ingredients for private label CPG brands. Products sold in bags and trays for brand partners to incorporate into their product lines.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Planetarians product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Planetarians manufactures and sells whole-cut, ready-to-eat plant-based meat alternatives (Savory Strips, Savory Steak Tips, and Chef's Cut Tenders) made from a patented two-ingredient formulation of upcycled spent brewer's yeast and non-GMO soybean flour processed via high moisture extrusion. The company sells primarily to institutional foodservice customers (K-12 schools, universities, restaurants, hotels) through major foodservice distributors and offers private label CPG partnerships.
Product overview
Planetarians is a plant-based protein company offering a portfolio of meat alternatives made from just two upcycled ingredients: spent brewer's yeast and non-GMO soybean flour. The core product line includes Savory Strips (BBQ-style strips), Savory Steak Tips, and Chef's Cut Tenders/Umami Tenders. These products are positioned for foodservice, schools, and private label CPG markets, emphasizing price parity with chicken, higher protein than beef (24%), and sustainable upcycled sourcing. The products are distributed through Goldstar, Sysco, and US Foods.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Savory Strips (BBQ-style strips) Par-cooked, ready-to-eat BBQ-style plant-based strips made from upcycled spent brewer's yeast and non-GMO soybean flour. Designed for sliders, subs, and comfort meal applications. Sold to institutional foodservice customers, K-12 schools, and via private label CPG partnerships.
- Savory Steak Tips Succulent meaty tips serving as a ground meat replacement for tacos and bowl toppings. Made from upcycled spent brewer's yeast and non-GMO soybean flour via high moisture extrusion.
- Chef's Cut Tenders (Umami Tenders) Ready-to-heat-and-eat comfort meal product with meaty texture, suitable as a side pairing or main course. Made from upcycled spent brewer's yeast and non-GMO soybean flour.
Quantifiable outcome
- 72% consistent acceptance rate in schools and foodservice
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Planetarians
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Planetarians technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Planetarians partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- AB InBev (Anheuser-Busch)coreStrategic partnership with the world's largest brewer. Planetarians scales production facilities alongside AB InBev breweries, utilizing spent brewer's yeast from beer production as a primary ingredient. The partnership enabled the launch of Planetarians' first commercial facility. AB InBev has also provided investment support.
- Barilla (BLU1877)coreEarly strategic partnership with Barilla's venture and innovation arm BLU1877. Planetarians worked with Barilla and Amadori to develop high-protein, sustainable products using upcycled sunflower flour. Initial collaboration produced high-protein pasta in 2017.
- GoldstarcoreNational foodservice distributor carrying Planetarians products for institutional foodservice customers.
- SyscocoreMajor foodservice distributor and preferred vendor for school nutrition programs across the US.
- US FoodscoreLeading foodservice distributor providing access to restaurant and hospitality customers.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Planetarians competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Beyond Meat: Beyond Meat is the largest publicly-traded plant-based meat company, offering burgers, sausages, and ground products for retail and foodservice. Directly competes with Planetarians in the plant-based meat category and shares institutional foodservice and QSR channel ambitions, though at vastly greater scale.
- Sweet Earth Foods (Nestlé): Sweet Earth Foods, a Nestlé-owned plant-based brand, produces handheld products, grounds, and strips sold in retail and foodservice. Directly overlaps Planetarians' Savory Strips and Steak Tips formats and pursues similar institutional and private-label opportunities with the backing of a global CPG parent.
- Alpha Foods: Alpha Foods is a plant-based brand offering bowls, burritos, and meat alternatives in retail and foodservice. Overlaps with Planetarians in the plant-based prepared protein category and competes for similar foodservice and convenience-store distribution.
- Lightlife (Maple Leaf Foods): Lightlife, owned by Maple Leaf Foods, offers plant-based burgers, hot dogs, sausages, and tenders for retail and foodservice. Planetarians' Chef's Cuttenders and Savory Strips overlap with Lightlife's tenders and hot dog categories in foodservice channels, including school and institutional nutrition programs.
- Tofurky: Tofurky is an established plant-based protein brand offering deli slices, sausages, grounds, and tempeh in retail and foodservice. Competes with Planetarians for shelf and menu space in plant-based meat categories and pursues similar foodservice and school nutrition channels.
- Quorn: Quorn produces mycoprotein-based meat alternatives including tenders, strips, and grounds distributed across US retail and foodservice. Competes with Planetarians in foodservice and school nutrition for tenders and strips SKUs and shares the same positioning around protein quality and sustainability credentials.
- Impossible Foods: Impossible Foods is a leading plant-based meat brand known for its Impossible Burger, with growing foodservice and retail penetration. Competes with Planetarians for plant-based meat acceptance in foodservice and shares the same core value proposition of meat-like texture and taste from plant proteins.
Emerging players
- Renewal Mill: Renewal Mill is an upcycled food company producing flours and ingredients from plant-based byproducts like okara and soybean pulp. Closely aligned with Planetarians' upcycled-sidestream thesis and serves as both a potential partner and adjacent competitor in upcycled plant-based protein ingredients.
- Before the Butcher: Before the Butcher is a smaller plant-based meat producer offering chopped, sliced, and ground products in retail and foodservice. Competes with Planetarians at the entry-price tier of plant-based meat and pursues overlapping value-focused foodservice customers.
- Upside Foods: Upside Foods is a cultivated (cell-based) meat company that shares Planetarians' institutional foodservice and sustainability positioning. Planetarians' Chief Protein Chemist previously led pilot operations at Upside Foods, making it a relevant comparison as an alternative protein peer operating in adjacent production technology.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Planetarians social profiles
Digital presencePlanetarians compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Planetarians financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Planetarians leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Planetarians funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors17 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Planetarians M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Planetarians
What does Planetarians do?
Planetarians manufactures and sells whole-cut, ready-to-eat plant-based meat alternatives (Savory Strips, Savory Steak Tips, and Chef's Cut Tenders) made from a patented two-ingredient formulation of upcycled spent brewer's yeast and non-GMO soybean flour processed via high moisture extrusion. The company sells primarily to institutional foodservice customers (K-12 schools, universities, restaurants, hotels) through major foodservice distributors and offers private label CPG partnerships.
Is Planetarians a public or private company?
Planetarians is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Planetarians founded?
Planetarians was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Planetarians based?
Planetarians is headquartered in Hayward, United States, in the North America region.
How does Planetarians make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Plant-Based Meat Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are private Label / CPG Ingredients.
Who are Planetarians's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Beyond Meat, Sweet Earth Foods (Nestlé), Alpha Foods, Lightlife (Maple Leaf Foods), Tofurky, Quorn and Impossible Foods. Emerging players are Renewal Mill, Before the Butcher and Upside Foods.
Does Planetarians have an API?
No public API is recorded for Planetarians.
What industry is Planetarians in?
Planetarians's product category is Plant-Based Meat Alternatives. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFANAKAA, Plant-Based Meat Manufacturers (End-to-End Brands), with a secondary code of AFANAKAO, Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals). Its NAICS code is 311 and its SIC code is 2000.