Jeffrey Gendelman, CEO of plant-based meat start-up Daring Foods, has announced he will step down after nearly five years with the company.

Gendelman became CEO in April 2024, succeeding founder Ross Mackay after he stepped down from the CEO role. Gendelman was chief operating officer at the company prior to this transition.

Daring Foods was established in 2018 by Mackay and co-founder Eliott Kessas. The company was founded in the UK, but moved its base to California, US in 2019, launching onto the US market in early 2020.

The company’s mission is to replace chicken in the animal food system with plant-based alternatives that are sustainable and made with simple, consumer-friendly ingredients, without compromising on taste. Its portfolio includes plant-based alternatives to chicken wings, pieces and ready meals.

In a statement shared on LinkedIn, Gendelman stated that he is “taking some time to reflect and have conversations” as he steps away from the role.

“We navigated one of the most challenging chapters in plant-based meat in decades,” Gendelman said. “What was more than $4 billion of private capital invested in 2021 became roughly $300 million in 2025, alongside nearly four years of mid to high single-digit category contraction and many competitors exiting the space.”

Praising the Daring team for their “resilience and focus” throughout a difficult time, he described the company as “well positioned for its next phase of growth following a successful exit to strong strategic partners in V2Food and Ajinomoto Co”.