Jackfruit as meat? Inside Jack & Annie’s with founder Annie Ryu

What do meatballs, jackfruit, and small farmers in India have in common? According to Jack & Annie’s founder Annie Ryu, everything. 

Love Veg caught up with her to uncover what sparked the brand, what surprised her most about customers, and why jackfruit could help tackle some of today’s biggest challenges.

Love Veg: What has been the most surprising feedback from customers since launching your products?

Annie Ryu: We knew some people might not realize that “Jack” means jackfruit. But we didn’t expect so many had never heard of jackfruit at all!

What’s less surprising is how many meat-eaters actually prefer Jack & Annie’s to meat.

Love Veg: What inspired Jack and Annie’s, and how does the brand’s origin story reflect its mission?

Annie Ryu: I founded The Jackfruit Company several years before launching Jack & Annie’s. At the time, most plant-based options were things like tofu and seitan, so we focused on seasoned and sauced jackfruit as an alternative.

Then, the “meat alternatives” category really took off, with a wave of flexitarians trying these products for the first time.

I realized there was a huge opportunity for food that’s convenient, tasty, and easy to use–even if you’ve never worked with meat alternatives before. 

Our mission has always centered around 1) lifting farmers out of poverty by connecting them to a global market, 2) helping people eat healthier, 3) shrinking our carbon footprint, and 4) reducing animal suffering.

Love Veg: Could you share a particularly challenging aspect of developing plant-based recipes and how you’ve overcome it?

Annie Ryu: Typically, it’s very difficult to get the juiciness of meat without introducing a high amount of (plant-derived) fat and saturated fat. 

But in our case, jackfruit’s meaty texture and high fiber content bring a natural juiciness to our foods. This gives them the taste and texture of meat with virtually zero saturated fat. 

Love Veg: How do you connect with your local communities, and why is this important to your brand?

Annie Ryu: I founded the company in Boston, then moved our headquarters to Boulder to be closer to the natural foods community.

Our goal is to make food that’s better for people, the planet, farmers, and animals—and to make it easy for everyone to access. Being in Boulder allows us to tap into industry expertise and scale our impact.

We also operate a subsidiary in India that works with thousands of small farmers, contributing 10–40% of their annual income. It was these farmers who first showed me how jackfruit could be used in place of meat.

Love Veg: What role do you believe plant-based food companies play in animal advocacy?

Annie Ryu: Food is central to the human experience. We eat to survive, but also to connect, share, and build meaningful relationships.

Many of us grow up believing that eating meat is normal. So when we’re confronted with the cruelty of factory farming, it’s natural to feel uncomfortable.

Plant-based food should feel positive, making it easy for people to change their habits while still enjoying social and emotional connection.

Love Veg: You trained in medicine. How did that shape your mission at Jack & Annie’s?

Annie Ryu: Diet is the leading cause of disease and death—even above smoking. Yet, medicine often focuses on treating the effects of poor diet rather than preventing them. As a pre-med student, my global health classes pushed me to focus on root causes like nutrition.

Love Veg: What does it mean to you personally when someone chooses your product instead of meat?

Annie Ryu: I love hearing that! It’s one reason we’re focused on food service. Many people prefer our products to meat, but they need a chance to taste them first.

We create the most impact when our products replace meat directly, not just other plant-based options.

Love Veg: When you sit down for a meal now, what does “good food” mean to you? How important is taste in plant-based eating?

Annie Ryu: I have to take off my food evaluator hat when I’m sitting down for a meal. Otherwise, I’m in “work mode” during downtime! 

To me, a good meal is simply plant-based food shared with good company. But when it’s time to develop a new product, I’m my toughest critic to make sure we deliver on taste and quality.

Love Veg: Is there a favorite recipe you love to make with one of your products? Something you’d share with a friend who’s just starting to eat more plant-based?

Annie Ryu: I like to keep it simple so friends see how easy it can be. 

Meatballs in marinara—on their own or with pasta—are a go-to. I also love making a breakfast sandwich to share. 

With Jack & Annie’s, there’s really no trade-off. It’s just great food without the saturated fat of meat. And you feel better, too!