Everyone’s favorite billionaire is in the news again. But this time he’s not (allegedly) releasing genetically modified mosquitoes into a 3rd world country, or buying up a million more acres of farmland to further restrict our food supply…

Bill Gates is on a new mission to revolutionize your breakfast—and in the process, tackle what he considers the greatest threat to our planet: cows. 

(Source: Euronews)

On his blog, GatesNotes, America’s favorite nerd is now raving about the world's first gas-derived butter. Yes, you read that right—gas-derived butter, whipped up by Shell MDS in Bintulu.

The blog post and video, whimsically titled "Greasy — and Good for the Planet," reveals why Gates, the former Microsoft founder, is all in on this novel fat. According to him, this isn’t just any butter; it’s a butter revolution. Made from specialty waxes through Shell’s Middle Distillate Synthesis (MDS) process, this butter aims to curb our carbon footprint one delicious pat at a time.

Shell Malaysia’s senior vice president, Siti Sulaiman, mentioned that they’re pushing the envelope with innovative collaborations. One such partnership is with the U.S.-based startup Savor, which cracked the code to create this gas-derived butter.

(Source: Shell)

In his article, Gates gets straight to the point: the secret to a mouthwatering cheeseburger is animal fat. But here’s the kicker—he wants the same fat molecules without the guilt trip of greenhouse gases, animal suffering, or harsh chemicals. 

And, of course, it needs to be easy on the wallet. Savor, the company making this dream a reality, has already got Gates' seal of approval. Having taste-tested their products, Gates swears it’s indistinguishable from the real thing. This seems pretty counterproductive considering you can’t make a mouthwatering burger without beef right?

Gates wrapped up his blog post with a nod to the future, highlighting that while lab-made fats and oils might sound like the plot of an evil scientist now, their potential to cut our carbon emissions is huge. By leveraging existing technologies, we’re inching closer to hitting those elusive climate goals. “Whatever you say Bill.”

But that’s not all. Gates has also backed a California startup working on an animal-free butter alternative made from—wait for it—air. When you have that much money and time, you come up with some wild ideas. 

This isn’t his first dance messing with natural foods that have existed for thousands of years; remember when he backed insect protein last year and Reddit exploded with conspiracies about him taking away our beef and feeding us crickets? Now, he’s betting on Savor to whip up a dairy-free spread that’s easier on the planet. Because remember, in Gate’s mind, cows are the biggest threat to humanity, not wars, AI, or poverty.

(Source: Newsweek)

Savor’s process uses carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and oxygen to mimic traditional butter without the environmental baggage. The result? A butter substitute that’s three times greener than its dairy counterpart, according to The Guardian. And it tastes just like the real deal because, chemically, it is.

This new-age spread isn't expected to hit grocery stores until 2025, but the hype is already building. Savor’s CEO, Kathleen Alexander, shared that initial taste tests have been promising, and they’re gearing up for more formal trials as they scale up production.

In the meantime, Shell’s stock has taken a slight dip, down 1.54% in the last 5 days. But who knows, in the near future, you might find yourself not just filling up your car with gas but also grabbing some gas-derived butter while you’re at it.

Stock.News has positions in Microsoft.