turning the dials and refining these variables to the point where we’re indistinguishable from chicken, which we are pretty close to at this point.” Now we collect information on something like 60 variables-from different flavor profiles to springiness. The way we gather feedback had to change too. Over time, as we’ve gotten closer and closer to being indistinguishable from chicken, the feedback has gotten a lot more granular. When when we first released it, the feedback was very consistent: ‘Oh, it doesn’t taste good,’ or whatever it may be. We initially launched with a pea protein. “The core protein we use is now soy protein. “If you think about it in code context, it’s a completely different code base,” Pasternak says of NUGGS today versus the 2018 version. Flavors have changed too: the Original flavor remains popular but Spicy and Extra Spicy (though limited to a select few fans) have since surpassed it. On an even larger scale, the company has toyed with the foundational make-up of the food. So, it’s come a long way.”īecause of Pasternak’s approach, NUGGS has been able to evolve several times over since its inception. I think the very first version-I think it was something like 97% people disliked it. latest version, 92% of people gave it a 10 out of 10. “We’ve seen from the data that people have really got into it. You can see in the release notes how we’re always making our products better,” he explains. “The core thing that I wanted to create was a nutrition company that operates with a software framework. Using a plant-based nugget as a starting point, Pasternak then worked to grow SIMULATE. It was 2018 when he first conceptualized NUGGS. And with SIMULATE, I had a lot of the foundational ideas, but I didn’t know how to piece them together.” We felt that a chicken nugget was a good entry point: it’s not very controversial, and it’s hard to be angry at. With NUGGS, Pasternak tells us, “The intent was to create a meat alternative that was appealing to more than just vegans and vegetarians. While they are made up of mostly water, soy protein concentrate, soybean oil, textured wheat protein, breadcrumbs and a few other ingredients, the company refers to it all as a “chicken simulation,” which hints at how Pasternak and SIMULATE approach human nutrition and food tech in general. The company, however, is careful to point out that descriptors like “vegan” or “vegetarian” aren’t necessarily crucial in the product’s messaging. The brand’s debut product, NUGGS, proves nearly indistinguishable from the traditional version, but they are entirely plant-based. The humble chicken nugget (equally beloved and condemned) takes on new life thanks to SIMULATE-a nutrition technology company founded by Ben Pasternak.
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