A Buffalo-based startup that produces healthier versions of meat products such as hot dogs is gearing up to launch an allergen-free peanut butter alternative.
Botaniline, a spinout company from Wardynski & Sons Meats, is gearing up to start full production of Pea-Nutless Butter by next year.
President and CEO Mark Celmer said the company has spent two years perfecting the product for a target market of K-12 school districts, which have highly regulated diets.
“We are always looking to find healthier ways to feed the populations at greatest risks, including children and older adults,” Celmer said. “My objective isn’t to make millions of dollars; it’s to save a child from early onset diabetes.”
Pea-Nutless Butter is made from fava beans and was developed by Bontaniline co-founder and food scientist Dean O’Brien, who is also the vice president for operations of Wardynski’s. The product is allergen-free and made in peanut-free and tree-nut free facilities, Celmer said. It also has as much protein as other peanut-free butter products on the market, but less sugar and sodium, he said.
“The Botaniline goal isn’t to change your mindset,” Celmer said. “It’s to know that your kid can go to school and won’t be segregated at lunchtime into an area that’s peanut-free.”
The Buffalo School system is already one of Botaniline’s largest customers in the region, as they use Botaniline’s healthy beef hot dog product. That's the main product that launched the company in 2018.
The hot dog is made with less meat product and includes a frozen potato additive, OBB, which stands for O’Brien’s Best, since he invented the product. It has no allergens, gluten, lactose, soy, preservatives or MSG and has less sodium. OBB is manufactured at production facilities in Idaho and shipped to companies like Wardynski & Sons, which produces the Botaniline hot dog product.
Botaniline has six employees and doesn’t do its own manufacturing.
“We’re targeting consumers that have their diets very regulated by law, and places that have restrictions for how much sugar and sodium can be put on a plate,” Celmer said.
Not only does that include schools, but nursing homes, hospitals, corrections facilities and programs such as Meals on Wheels.
“What we are doing is looking to identify new ways to use plant-based food science to feed the world population in 30 years, when we’re dealing with 10 billion people on the planet,” Celmer said.
There are four equal partner owners of Botaniline: O’Brien, Celmer, Raymond Wardynski and Joseph Lopez. The company is looking to raise $250,000 to increase sales internationally and to begin marketing for Pea-Nutless Butter.
Botaniline is also one of 20 finalists in the $3 million Grow-NY Business Competition with a chance to win $1 million. The annual grant program, funded through Empire State Development and Cornell University, had 330 applicants this year. Ultimately, there will be seven monetary winners — one $1million winner, two $500,000 winners and four $250,000 winners — which will be decided at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit in November.
