Take a peek inside Motif’s new lab space for analysis, discovery and design

When COVID-19 drove our scientists into their home kitchens, I was inspired by their resilience and dedication to the work we’re doing to make plant-based foods better tasting and more nutritious. Their families quickly became our consumer taste testers, and we got the opportunity to see how our efforts in the lab transferred to a real-world setting. These months at home were challenging, but the insights we’ve gained have added another valuable dimension to our unique approach to food science. 

While the R&D team was busy conducting experiments at home, our facilities and operations teams were hard at work building a brand new lab and office facility in Boston’s Seaport District. 

The space features four separate labs dedicated to foundational aspects of Motif’s holistic scientific approach, including analytics, food science, fermentation and test kitchens. By combining cutting-edge science with consumer insights, we can analyze, discover and design new approaches to unleash the promise of crave-worthy plant-based foods. The work done in each lab will play a crucial role in understanding the stages of the food experience, from the physics of how food transforms as you chew it to new ingredients that will ultimately improve the taste, texture and appearance of plant-based meat and dairy products. The labs will also enable the discovery of entirely new plant-based food forms.

With the support of our strategic partner (and neighbor!) Ginkgo Bioworks, we’ve implemented rigorous COVID-19 safety features and protocols for the labs and office, including limited in-person capacity, mandated mask-wearing, and daily temperature checks.

The new space also features 14 original works by local Boston-area artist Liz Roache, bringing Motif’s work with food ingredients to life through the artistic ingredients of color and light — and serving as inspiration for our R&D staff.

We’re excited to finally bring some of our scientists back into the new lab where they can safely continue their work rewriting the rules of food design. Check out this video for a virtual tour of our new home: 

Want to join the team at our new home? We’re hiring.