Michelle Wolf, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, New Wave Foods

Cooking Up a Delicious Substitute

“I’ve always been someone who can create something from nothing,” says Michelle Wolf (ENG 2014, 2015).

She co-founded New Wave Foods, and also formulated its flagship product, a sustainable shrimp alternative made from plant-based ingredients. It has the taste, texture, color and nutritional value of ocean shrimp without the detrimental carbon footprint of shrimp farming.

“I have never been an absolutist who thinks everyone needs to be vegan,” Michelle says. “But if we can convince folks to reduce even one of their meat-based meals a week, that can have a huge impact on reducing greenhouse gas effects and other negative climate impacts.”

Creating the product combines her Carnegie Mellon University undergraduate and graduate training in materials science and biomedical engineering and mixes in her technical skills and love of cooking. Her experimentation to land on the perfect shrimp stand-in included ingredients like seaweed and mung bean protein.

The innovation earned Michelle a spot on the Forbes 30 under 30 Food & Drink list. And on the entrepreneurial front, New Wave Foods sells wholesale to restaurants where it’s attracting a following from diet- and environmentally-conscious diners.

Michelle sees even more opportunity as people get a taste of the product and its benefits.

“I really like it breaded and fried, or in any kind of saucy dish,” she says. “It’s an ingredient that’s easy for chefs to leverage, so any way that you like shrimp, it can be utilized.”

Story by Elizabeth Speed