Parendi Birdie’s Texas startup Carnéa has emerged from stealth with a range of chef-crafted blended meats that beat Tyson’s products in taste tests.
In 2023, Parendi Birdie left her role as head of brand strategy at cultivated meat firm Mission Barns to focus on Asentia, a new venture that is blending animal protein with plants.
“We’re combining the meat we know and crave with the plant-powered benefits we want more of to create inspired, enhanced protein with more flavour, juiciness and nutrients,” she told Green Queen at the time.
Two years, two more co-founders, a whole lot of R&D, and a name change later, Birdie is ready to unleash her innovations on the world.
Now called Carnéa Meat Co, the Houston-based startup is being spearheaded by Birdie (who is the CEO), former Impossible Foods executive Eric Hedstrand (chief commercial officer), and chief innovation officer Tom Lynch (the former head R&D chef at two-Michelin-starred restaurant 42 Grams and one of Beyond Meat’s earliest food technologists).
When Birdie spoke to Green Queen in 2023, blended meat wasn’t a new idea, but it was nowhere near as widespread as it is today. Now, with Carnéa, she says she’s introducing products that she says are unlike anything on the market. Think truffle mushroom meatballs; a Black Angus, roast shallot and shiitake burger; bourbon-bacon and artichoke sausages; and BBQ-braised brisket with jackfruit – with inclusion rates ranging from 50% to two-thirds.
“There’s a huge, untapped market of people who want to eat plant-forward, but are frustrated by current products,” she says, citing how 72% of Americans want to eat more plants but not go fully vegan. “A third of the country has tried plant-based meat. It’s pretty simple: many of us want to eat better without giving up meat.”
Carnéa’s blended sausage beats Tyson’s 100% meat
Reflecting on the rebrand, Birdie says Asentia was never intended to be the startup’s consumer-facing name in the first place. It partnered with a global branding agency and worked closely with its advisory board (who’ve worked for Apple, Tesla, Starbucks, Tyson and Cargill) to build a “bold, evocative, and distinctive brand platform that commands attention on the shelf”.
“The identity features rich, warm colours and soulful elements that mirror our products – full of richness, passion, and depth – raising the bar for what meat can be and adding dimension where ordinary meat falls flat,” she says. “The brand connects on an emotional level, tapping into the ‘second brain’ – our gut – to spark those instant, visceral reactions.”
That hits the nail on the head. Meat-eating is tied to emotion. In 2021, an Ipsos poll revealed that 59% of consumers believed eating meat is the American way of life, and 52% felt that those advocating for cutting meat intake are trying to control what the public eats.
Such perceptions have only grown in the years since. Last year, meat sales reached an all-time high, and cultivated meat got caught in political crosshairs with a host of (mostly Republican-leaning) states putting restrictions on the labelling or sale of alternative proteins. Retail sales of plant-based meat, meanwhile, dropped by 7% in 2024.
To counter this shift, companies big and small are taking a bite of the blended meat pie, including Nestlé, Kraft Heinz, Quorn, Aldi, and even Disneyland. Sensory testing has shown that these “balanced proteins” are more likely to appeal to meat-eaters and flexitarians than plant-based alternatives. In some cases, they even outperform 100% meat products.
“Balanced proteins offer the authentic taste of meat with the plant-powered benefits we want more of. This, coupled with the cultural and psychological familiarity of meat, is a winning combination for widespread, daily adoption,” says Birdie.
Carnéa conducted its own taste tests at food events and farmers’ markets in Texas. “Twice as many people preferred ours over a leading Tyson 100% pork sausage – and these were big meat-eating Texans,” she reveals.
“When they learned the sausage they loved was made with plant-forward ingredients, they were amazed. Many said it felt like the best of both worlds: a way to eat healthier without sacrifice.”
Alternative protein industry ‘must think outside the box’
So how did Carnéa manage to outperform a 100% meat product from Tyson (whose own attempt at blended meat failed)?
“It takes sophisticated food science to pull this off successfully,” says Birdie. “A key part of our ‘secret sauce’ is our fermentation process, which enzymatically breaks down proteins into savoury amino acids, fats into aromatic fatty acids, and carbohydrates into simple sugars. This enhances the Maillard reaction, creating rich, caramelised flavours, and exceptional juiciness that keeps people coming back for more.”
Despite offering better environmental metrics – swapping 50% of meat with plants can cut agriculture emissions by 31% and double climate benefits – blended meat is still criticised for the use of animal products, especially those that are factory-farmed.
“Our industry must evolve. We must become smarter, stronger and more connected to our consumers. We need to listen intently and think outside the box in order to win,” argues Birdie.
“When I envision a truly sustainable, sensible food system…it’s hard to see a realistic path forward without balanced proteins playing a crucial role. My excitement is less about the short-term benefits of the category, and more about its unique ability to create an environment where the entire alternative protein sector can thrive.
“What excites me most are the meaningful partnerships we can forge with conventional meat giants, and how these collaborations will enable us to accelerate the creation of a sustainable food system. Our vision is big, and our goal is to be a catalytic force driving change, not merely to be along for the ride.”
Carnéa’s blended proteins are priced in line with premium meat
Any successful alternative protein product must have a price point that doesn’t ward off shoppers. In today’s climate, this applies to meat too, which is suffering from record-high prices globally.
“Our team brings a combined 25 years in the alternative protein industry, and one thing is clear: to truly win and create massive impact, products must be priced accessibly,” says Bidie. “We’re committed to building a healthy, sustainable business, so we’re not dependent on raising hundreds of millions.”
She adds: “From day one, we’ve developed products that are gross-margin-positive. We’re launching with pricing in line with premium meat, with clear plans to reach price parity with conventional meat.
“While this is a nuanced and strategic decision for every company, in our case, some SKUs are already able to undercut their 100% meat counterparts, thanks to the lower cost of our strategic vegetable components.“
Carnéa has penned a deal with a “top-tier co-manufacturer” that also produces for Costco and H-E-B. “Their state-of-the-art, USDA-inspected facility has already completed successful production runs of our products, proving we can scale while maintaining the sensory qualities that set us apart,” says Birdie.
It isn’t the only startup blending meat with vegetables instead of plant or microbial proteins. For example, 50/50 Foods sells the Both Burger, pairing Angus Beef with roasted mushrooms, caramelised onions, cauliflower and broccoli. And Phil’s Finest makes blended beef mince and sausages with a host of vegetables.
But the enthusiasm for Carnéa’s products has been “so strong that several leaders from the world’s most successful food companies have personally invested” in it, according to Birdie (who did not disclose the total capital her startup has raised). “With standout taste, scalable manufacturing, accessible pricing, a world-class team, and unrivalled nutrition, we believe we have all the ingredients for long-term success,” she says.
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