ThinkThin Founder Launches betterland foods with Perfect Day

ThinkThin founder Lizanne Falsetto is going from protein bars to animal-free dairy protein, announcing today the launch of betterland foods, a new company developing products made with Perfect Day’s animal-free dairy proteins.

The brand’s first product launch is a “cow-free milk” made with Perfect Day’s animal-free whey, which the company says uses precision fermentation to create a protein the company claims is identical to that found in cow’s milk.

“I knew that I wanted to help create protein-based products that not only tasted good, but were healthier for people and kinder to the environment,” Falsetto said. “As the world’s population continues to grow, the strain has put our climate in crisis. We need a sustainable, cleaner alternative without hormones, lactose, or antibiotics – that uses less water and carbon.”

Joining Falsetto at betterland is former ThinkThin operations and R&D lead Bill Pickar, who now serves as betterland’s president and COO. Betterland declined to disclose if Perfect Day or its co-founders Ryan Pandya and Perumal Gandhi were investors in the company but did note it is an independent entity from Perfect Day.

Betterland will offer Whole and Extra Creamy varieties, both of which are shelf-stable and packed in 32 oz. Tetra Pak cartons. The company said it will launch in natural and conventional grocers later this summer. The company says it is aiming for a premium price point.

Betterland believes its milk, which also contains MCT and sunflower oils, differs from other plant-based milks by more closely mimicking the experience of drinking cow’s milk and also performing better in applications such as baking, cooking and frothing. It also contains eight grams of protein per serving, more than other alt-milks that are oat- or rice-based.

More products will be launched under the betterland banner later this year, a spokesperson said. Though the company declined to disclose what those items will be, betterland’s trademark is owned by betterland sweets and, until today, its website featured imagery of broken chocolate bars.

Betterland’s launch is the first branded milk Perfect Day has developed with widespread distribution, having teased a Perfect Day branded milk in 2015 that was never formally launched. Last year the company also introduced a barista milk available as a milk substitute at a limited number of Starbucks stores.

In addition to milk, Perfect Day’s proteins can be used in a variety of other applications including cake mix, ice cream, chocolate, cream cheese and soft serve. The company produces a number of products under brands it owns like The Urgent Company, Modern Kitchen and California Performance Co., and has partnered with external companies including Graeter’s Ice Cream, General Mills and Natreve.

While the company first launched in 2014 with plans to create a CPG line, that strategy has shifted over the years. After transitioning into an ingredient provider and partnering with ADM, its two co-founders then became investors in CPG line The Urgent Company — which later became a fully owned subsidiary of Perfect Day.

Betterland’s own corporate structure was not disclosed. While Perfect Day could not answer if it had assisted at all with the milk’s formulation, offering technical assistance is a key part of the company’s business model.

Perfect Day and betterland claim that their milk utilizes far less resources than “traditional cows-milk.” While the company does not have exact statistics for betterland’s own offering, it shared that Perfect Day’s whey protein reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 97%, and non-renewable energy use by up to 60%.

In terms of sustainability, the choice to go shelf stable is a reflection of the company’s environmental commitment by minimizing energy usage in distribution and retail, according to a spokesperson. Nevertheless, the plan is for betterland to be sold out of the more energy-intensive refrigerated set, positioned as a fresh product.

“[We will be sold] right next to milk, which is where the consumer is shopping the category,” Falsetto said. “Our vision is to be ubiquitous across channels over time.”