This month, we put the spotlight on Maia Farms, a Canadian food-tech start-up that produces high-protein, plant-based food ingredients using mushroom mycelium. We speak to the company's CEO and co-founder, Gavin Schneider, to find out more.

Could you tell us a bit about Maia Farms’ mission and how you hope to impact the plant-based food and beverage industry?

Founded by a farmer, an engineer and a neuroscientist, Maia provides a smart, climate-conscious way to nourish people and the planet. We transform agricultural side-streams into sustainable, high-protein food ingredients through mushroom biomass fermentation, offering superior nutrition, taste and versatility with minimal environmental impact. Maia aims to be a trusted partner to food manufacturers, working to enhance their products with improved taste and texture.

On a broader scale, Maia endeavours to fundamentally change the protein landscape by deploying 1 million litres of fermentation capacity globally. More than a plant-based trend or protein alternative, Maia Farms taps into the intersection of nutrition, taste and a smarter way to care for the Earth. Delicious, versatile and climate-conscious, it’s a future-focused solution for a world hungry for change.

Why the focus on mushroom mycelium?

Producing mushroom mycelium is one of the most economical and ecological ways to generate vast quantities of nutrient-dense food with a minimal environmental footprint. Its applications as an ingredient are wide-ranging, from blended meat products to snack foods and soups. Mushroom mycelium also represents one of the most efficient methods for producing sustainable protein, offering a viable solution to meet the growing global demand.

What kind of mushroom mycelium is used?

Maia focuses on the genus Pleurotus spp. After screening hundreds of varieties, we selected this genus for its safety, suitability for fermentation processes, robustness, versatility, high-yield growth characteristics and great taste.

How does Maia Farms differentiate itself from other mycoprotein companies currently on the market?

Maia positions itself as a foundational ingredient provider, enabling mycoprotein companies to launch forward-facing, consumer-friendly products. While demand for mushroom protein far exceeds supply today, Maia takes a unique approach by using a safer, allergen-free and higher-yielding mushroom protein compared to competitors that rely on unfamiliar mold species.

By addressing the limitations of existing technologies and processes, Maia delivers superior sensory experiences and higher nutritional value, making it the go-to partner for food manufacturers seeking reliable, innovative solutions.

What kinds of mycoprotein products/solutions are included in Maia Farms’ portfolio and what are their applications?

Maia offers three distinct product lines for food manufacturers.

CanPro Textured Mushroom Protein is a dried textured protein available in five sizes to meet various cooking and manufacturing needs. The product is a proprietary blend of mushroom and pea protein. It is a versatile ingredient for use in recipes requiring meat-like textures, as well as blended meat applications.

Our Mushroom Powder is a dried mushroom powder offered in three mesh sizes, tailored for diverse applications in the food industry, from flavour enhancement to functional baking. It is ideal for bakery, confectionery and non-dairy food applications.

Finally, Fresh Mycelium is a high-moisture, pressed mycelium ingredient with excellent gelling properties, perfect for high-moisture extrusion applications like plant-based sausages, cheeses and desserts. It is versatile in standalone and blended meat applications.

How does Maia Farms approach working with manufacturers in the F&B industry?

Maia Farms collaborates with F&B manufacturers by providing scalable and versatile mushroom-based ingredients that foster innovation while maintaining reliability and consistency. For new customers, Maia prioritises understanding their challenges and aligning its ingredients with their product portfolios.

Once a relationship is established, Maia’s food science team conducts in-depth analyses of potential product applications to ensure a tailored approach. By supporting customers with co-innovation plans, Maia helps launch successful products that meet consumer demand for nutritious, minimally processed foods.

Through data-driven processes, Maia ensures consistent quality and builds trust, while partnerships on creative, globally inspired products establish Maia as a dependable partner and a catalyst for a more sustainable future.

Have there been any particular challenges? If so, how have they been navigated?

Scaling a biological process to industrial levels is inherently complex, costly and uncertain. Organisms can behave unpredictably at different fermentation scales. Maia has adopted an asset-light approach, relying on partnerships with fermentation facilities. This strategy reduces financial and technical risks while enabling steady growth.

What has been Maia Farms’ biggest achievement to date?

In 2024, Maia achieved several major milestones: closed an oversubscribed multi-million-dollar pre-seed round; played a winning role in NASA’s and the Canadian Space Agencies Deep Space Food Challenge, garnering global recognition for its technology; and named one of Canada’s Top 50 Most Investable Cleantech Companies.

However, the greatest achievement remains delivering products to trusted customers and earning their confidence.

Where is the company currently on its journey? What stage of commercialisation is the business in?

Maia has successfully commercialised its dried ingredient portfolio and is delivering products by the ton to an early cohort of customers. Later this year, Maia will launch an additional product line. With secured co-manufacturing, sales and distribution partners, the company is poised for aggressive growth in 2025 across North America.

What’s next for Maia Farms? Any exciting plans on the horizon?

Maia is on a mission to fundamentally transform the protein landscape on Earth, and eventually, beyond. With a clear path to becoming a global leader in mushroom mycelium ingredients, Maia is expanding its reach into Canada, the USA, Mexico, Western Europe, the UK, Japan and Singapore. The company is committed to delivering innovative, sustainable solutions across many food industry verticals.

For aspiring start-ups in the food and beverage industry, what valuable advice or insights would you share to help them navigate the challenges and opportunities in this dynamic sector?

Stay lean and agile during the early stages, prioritise customer feedback to refine your product, partner with the right early-stage customers to validate use cases, and leverage entrepreneurial networks to uncover new opportunities and accelerate growth.