Almost 70 jobs will be created following MYCO's move into a huge new product development site in Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire

The UK-based food-tech, MYCO, which has developed a patented system of AI-controlled, vertical farms to produce a ready-to-use, protein-rich meat replacement, is moving into a huge new product development site, creating almost 75 jobs in the process.

The company is in the process of transforming a former food manufacturing plant in Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire, into a vertically farmed production unit. It will be the first site of its kind in the UK. It is hoped the move into the purpose-built 20,000ft2 site will launch an exciting period of growth, amid an expected boom in sales of plant-based meat substitutes.

“This is a great move for MYCO, and one we all believe will help the business unlock its extraordinary potential,” commented John Shepherd, Co-founder & Chairman of MYCO. “This new site is a food industry first, and the concept of combining both the growing of the raw materials and the manufacturing of the finished product under one roof will pave the way for more sustainable food manufacturing practices in the future.”

The company's own plant-based protein is made from oyster mushrooms and has already attracted interest from a host of household names across the food industry.

To cope with the expected influx of demand, MYCO's six staff initially based at the new site will need to swell to around 75 over the forthcoming period.

MYCO's CEO David Wood believes the new unit helps future-proof the business while allowing us to expand on multiple fronts. “MYCO’s goal isn’t to turn the world into vegans but is to encourage meat-eaters to eat more sustainable plant-based products,” said Wood. “We believe we can achieve this by having products that taste fantastic and are made with kitchen cupboard ingredients. The business believes that creating mouth-watering alternatives that resemble ‘proper’ food will make swapping from meat to plant-based substitutes far easier. This site will allow us to press on with that vision, whilst for the first time ever in the UK, giving customers the chance to choose genuinely sustainable, vertically farmed products.

“We hope our unique, sustainable approach can be mirrored by other food producers as ultimately, our biggest priority is to help the planet survive – we just hope we can play our part.”