Innovation is everywhere, but the majority of what consumers see is incremental change. What does it mean to do something meaningfully different? Lasso is attempting to answer that question.

In this episode, CEO Mike Messersmith, the former Oatly executive who helped turn oat milk into a cultural phenomenon, shares how his company is rethinking food from the ground up with breakthrough technology that delivers high-protein, clean-label snacks without compromise.

From its origins as a plant-based meat startup to launching creative new brands like Cronch Club and Froobies, Lasso is using its proprietary process to challenge the limits of taste, texture, and nutrition – while aiming to power the next wave of innovation across the entire food industry.

Show notes:

0:20: Mike Messersmith, CEO, Lasso – Mike discusses the launch of Oatly in the U.S. and how the company's strategy of creating a no-compromise product experience – particularly within the specialty coffee landscape – as key to driving widespread adoption and category growth. He talks about how he's applying similar principles to Lasso and how the former plant-based meat company pivoted as market dynamics shifted, expanding its technology into broader applications that enable high-protein, high-fiber, clean-label foods without relying on traditional processing methods or additives. Mike explains that the company's consumer brands serve as proof-of-concept products that demonstrate the technology's potential across categories such as snacks and fruit chews, while also helping refine product-market fit through direct-to-consumer channels. He emphasizes that Lasso sits at the intersection of food and technology, aiming to solve consumer demand for better nutrition, taste, and transparency by innovating at the manufacturing level rather than just formulation. Mike reveals that the company's long-term vision is to partner with established food manufacturers, licensing its technology to enable a new generation of products, while leveraging its own brands to showcase what's possible and build credibility with both consumers and investors.

Brands in this episode: Lasso, Chobani, Oatly, Cronch Club, Froobies

From Oatly To Lasso. How A Veteran CEO Is Building Real Differentiation in CPG.