We sourced our meat locally and responsibly, cooked nose-to-tail religiously. But, still, meat. As the demand for flexitarian options grew, we got more and more frustrated.

We could cook vegetables, grains, and pulses—we knew how to make plants taste good. But making them taste as delicious as meat? Delicious in the way that meat is delicious?  Honestly, we were totally lost.

One night, after another service filled with requests for meatless dishes (we had exactly one vegan and one vegetarian option on the menu), we had an idea: what if we could make plants taste like meat, not by imitating it like the whole world seemed to be doing, but by using fermentation to unlock the same complexity and depth of flavor? After almost two years of study and experimentation, we discovered solid-state fermentation (SSF). Through this process, we discovered we could create something we call “culinarity”—a richness and depth of flavor usually found only in meat and other animal proteins. It was the kind of deliciousness that lingered on the palate, with the complexity and body of slow-cooked, chef-made meals.

We weren’t creating meat alternatives; we were developing alternatives to meat for those dishes across the globe where meat plays a crucial, yet often hidden, role—soups, stocks, casseroles, sauces, pasta, and so much more.

This discovery was mind-blowing, but we knew that capturing this kind of flavor was only possible with the resources of a fine dining restaurant. We wanted to change that. We set out on a mission to democratize this meat-free “culinarity” and make these flavors accessible to everyone.

That’s how SHO was born—by cooks, for cooks. Unlike the watery, flavorless commercial stocks filled with additives and artificial flavors that dominate the market, SHO is committed to transparency and quality, using only real ingredients, with no additives, flavors, or preservatives.  If we wouldn’t serve it to our guests or our kids, we will never sell it to you. Our goal is simple: to revolutionize the way we think about food, making it delicious, sustainable, and accessible, without compromising on taste.

By fermenting grains, legumes, and food industry by-products, we create rich, complex stocks with the deep, long-cooked flavors usually provided by cooking meat and bones for a long time.

Fermentation is one of the most miraculous and transformative powers in the world of food, a process by which microorganisms like bacteria, yeast, or molds dramatically improve the taste, aroma, texture, shelf life, and nutritional value of food. Fermentation doesn’t just preserve; it elevates, turning simple ingredients into some of the most complex and delicious foods we know: wine, beer, chocolate, tea, coffee, yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, miso, soy sauce, and now SHO.

The magic of fermentation lies in its ability to break down large, relatively tasteless molecules into smaller, flavor-packed compounds. Proteins are transformed into savory peptides and amino acids, carbohydrates into diverse sugars, and fats into flavor-packed fatty acids. This transformation is what gives fermented foods their rich and complex profiles. It’s what creates the difference between plain milk and the nutty depth of Parmigiano, or raw cabbage and the tangy delight of kimchi.

At the heart of our process is Solid State Fermentation (SSF), a method in which culinary microorganisms grow on solid materials without free-flowing water. Unlike most of the fermentation used in food production, SSF mimics the natural environments these microorganisms evolved in, allowing them to interact with diverse nutrients and conditions, producing a wide range of flavors and aromas. This diversity is unparalleled, creating tastes that can’t be repeated any other way. Our products contain thousands of known and unknown molecules, interacting to form layers of complexity that deliver an explosion of flavor in every bite.

The result is a stock that captures the essence of meatiness, umami, and koku—those deep, satisfying savory flavors that linger hours after you’ve finished eating. It’s a culinary experience that’s rich, buttery, and full of mouthfeel, without any off flavors. What’s more, our process is rooted in sustainability, turning simple, often overlooked ingredients into something extraordinary.