Michael Fox is the co-founder and CEO of Fable Food Co, a company on a mission to help people eat more mushrooms—not by replacing meat, but by making it work better.

Launched in 2019 in partnership with fine-dining chef and mycologist Jim Fuller, Fable began with an unconventional first customer: 3-Michelin-star chef Heston Blumenthal. Together, they pioneered new techniques for cooking and processing mushrooms that unlock deep umami, texture, and juiciness—qualities traditionally associated with meat.

Today, Fable’s products are served in more than 3,000 restaurants and retailers across Australia, the US, UK, Canada, and Singapore.

At Plant FWD, Michael will explore why the future of protein isn’t about choosing sides between plants and meat—but about balance. Drawing on real-world consumer behavior, taste science, and commercial realities, he’ll make the case for blended solutions—like shiitake-infused beef—that meet people where they are and actually change how the world eats.