FoodLabs is a venture studio and investor for startups with solutions to feed ten billion people by 2050 in a sustainable and healthy way. Founded in 2016, the Berlin-based investor is one of Europe's leading venture firms for food & ag. It has supported over 20 mission-driven teams to launch their ideas and put great concepts into practice. The portfolio covers the entire value chain - from agtech, alternative protein sources, water supply, food security, vertical farming, to food waste and carbon reduction.

FoodLabs

SFV backs globally early-stage founders building leading Future of Food companies that are: #Cell-based #Plant-based #Recombinant

Sustainable Food Ventures

At better ventures, we believe that purpose-driven entrepreneurs will change our world for the better. They drive innovation and dare to tackle the most pressing challenges of the place our kids will live in. When you as founders work with us, we commit to doing the same: We’ll help you make an impact and add value to your business far beyond money. We see us as your experienced co-founders, sitting in the same boat, solving your challenges in the best way together. And we are in for the long-run. Our commitment doesn't stop. We are entrepreneurs first and foremost. We don't care how much money you raise in follow-on rounds. We care about building a successful venture that lasts. We know how you stay in the driver seat and what it’s worth down the road. To us, it’s the better way on a mission to drive change if you as founders keep control of your company. Therefore, we invest with founder-friendly terms and stick to our values that define the way we work. Does this sound interesting to you and your team? Then let's talk! better ventures GmbH acts for the account and under the liability pursuant to Section 3 (2) WpIG of Effecta GmbH, Florstadt

better ventures

Leveraging entrepreneurial and financial experience to identify opportunities in the Food, Beverage and Consumer Goods space.

Shio Capital

Kynda

Fermentation has been called the ‘game-changer for alt. proteins. But food companies lack low-cost fermentation infrastructure and experience to produce mycelial proteins. Kynda is the first company to provide food producers with low-cost plug & play bioreactors, starter cultures and operational support, entering a huge €2.3 trillion cross-industry serviceable fermentation market.

Kynda (formerly Keen 4 Greens) is a German technology supplier for mycelium biomass fermentation. The company started off as a plant-based meat developer offering vegan burgers and nuggets, but has since transitioned into a B2B model and now provides plug-and-play bioreactors.

A new wave of meat, fish, and poultry alternatives are driving this hyper-growth industry into the mainstream

Plant-based Meat

Kynda (formerly Keen 4 Greens) is a German technology supplier for mycelium biomass fermentation. The company started off as a plant-based meat developer offering vegan burgers and nuggets, but has since transitioned into a B2B model and now provides plug-and-play bioreactors.Kynda bioreactors offer low-cost decentralized solutions for customers to ferment mycelium in-house. According to the company, this method provides advantages in terms of flexibility, versatility, and scalability over large-scale centralized systems. In addition, these bioreactors claim to work with multiple feedstock options and are weather- and climate-resistant.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27423">March 2024</a>, the company debuted Kynda Meat, a sustainable, mycelium-based food ingredient which is exempt from the EU novel foods regulatory process. It claims to offer a 37% protein content in dry matter and contains all nine essential amino acids, vitamins, and fiber while being low in fat. &nbsp;In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29847">May 2024</a>, Kynda began construction of a large-scale facility to produce Kynda Meat. This 6,200 sq m facility will have two 720 sq m production halls and utilize Kynda’s plug-and-play bioreactors to produce 2,500 tons of Kynda Meat.Key customers and partnershipsIn December 2022, Kynda delivered a mobile fermentation unit to the German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL), a non-profit research provider, for on-site mycelium production and to explore potential FoodTech use cases.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27423">March 2024</a>, the company partnered with Germna plant-based meat company The Raging Pig Co to develop its mycelium-based food ingredient Kynda Meat.Funding and financialsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates?industryIds=9">February 2022</a>, the startup secured EUR 1.8 million (~USD 2 million) in seed funding led by FoodLabs, with participation from Sustainable Food Ventures and Shio Capital. The funds were earmarked for the expansion of its manufacturing facilities. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24201">November 2023</a>, the company secured a non-dilutive grant from Germany's Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The grant was earmarked for a collaborative project with DIL, focusing on increasing the efficiency and scalability of mycelial protein production. In addition, the company also launched a seed funding round to raise USD 4 million.

LIVEKINDLY Collective (formerly known as Food United) produces plant-based meat alternatives through its brands LikeMeat, Fry Family, and Oumph!. The group offers a wide range of plant-based alternatives to burgers, sausages, nuggets, pulled BBQ chicken, and kebabs, made primarily of soy protein and other plant-based ingredients. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/3657">June 2021</a>, the company launched two flagship plant-based brands in China – Giggling Pig (Ge Ji Zhu) and Happy Chicken (Ha Pi Ji); the first brands to be created in-house by LIVEKINDLY Collective, which encompasses seven plant-based products including dumplings, mushroom-based dishes and a seasoned minced dish. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19881">July 2023</a>, the company launched the Oumph! Smash Burger. The product was targeted at food service and launched at over 80 Brodernas (a Swedish restaurant group) locations, with additional locations and retail expansion to follow. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/33291">September 2024</a>, Fry's Family Foods launched Shape &amp; Sizzle Mince, a new plant-based product, at Tesco stores across the UK.In June 2021, LIVEKINDLY Collective entered into an agreement to acquire The Dutch Weed Burger, a plant-based meat company based in the Netherlands. This acquisition was expected to expand LIVEKINDLY’s brand portfolio and extend the company’s international footprint into more than 40 countries including the US, Canada, Asia, Europe, and the UK.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20574">August 2023</a>, the company acquired Alpha Foods, a California-based plant-based frozen food producer. The acquisition supported Livekindly Collective’s plans to expand its presence in the US market and venture into the ready-to-eat breakfast and burrito snacking category. Moreover, it was expected to strengthen Livekindly’s position in the global plant-based market and enable further growth and innovation within the industry.Key customers and partnershipsIn February 2021, the group formed a partnership with the Dutch plant-based food company Rival Foods to develop whole-cut plant-based chicken products. Also in February, LIVEKINDLY Collective formed two joint ventures with US plant-based food company Puris Foods (undisclosed terms) to invest in regenerative agriculture and cost-effective plant-based food production. The companies claim this joint venture’s sustainability approach will result in a long-term achievement of cost parity with conventional animal meat.

LIVEKINDLY

NotCo is a Chilean startup that develops plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. Leveraging a patented AI algorithm named Giuseppe, NotCo develops plant-based products that match the taste, texture, and mouthfeel of animal products by studying infinite combinations of plants and using internal feedback from trained chefs.NotCo’s product portfolio includes NotChicken (patties, nuggets, and tenders) and NotBurger, which are available for retail and foodservice in the US, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10672">Australia</a>, and Colombia.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28580">April 2024</a>, NotCo developed a plant-based turtle soup called "NotTurtle Soup" in partnership with Chef Diego Oka. NotTurtle Soup claims to mimic the flavor and texture of authentic turtle soup to reduce the consumption of endangered green sea turtles.Key customers and partnershipsIn February 2022, NotCo<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8673"> teamed up </a>with Kraft-Heinz to form a joint venture (JV) to leverage the strengths of both companies and develop a line of plant-based food. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27345">March 2024</a>, the JV announced plans to launch NotHotDog and NotSausages in partnership with Oscar Mayer, a subsidiary of Kraft Heinz.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23368">November 2023</a>, the company partnered with Yellowbird Sauce, a hot sauce producer, to launch NotChicken Spicy Patties at select Whole Foods Market locations across the US.Funding and financialsIn its most recent funding round in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15270">December 2022</a>, the company raised USD 70 million in a Series D1 funding at a valuation of USD 1.5 billion led by Princeville Capital, with participation from existing and new investors. The funding was earmarked for developing a B2B platform that will allow other producers to access the company’s patented AI platform Giuseppe. Further, it is expected to help with expansion and preparation before the company’s planned IPO in 2025.

NotCo

<div>
 
 Improved Nature produces plant-based chicken alternatives from soy protein, replicating the flavor and texture of real chicken. The company sells its plant-based meat products under Nature's PRIME and Nature&rsquo;s Meat brands, which cover a large line of refrigerated and frozen products like slices, nuggets, filets, tenders, and more.
 
 
 Improved Nature's reliance on soy protein makes it more similar to the original wave of plant-based meat producers which relied almost exclusively on soy to produce products for vegetarians, with less interest in mimicking the texture, taste, and mouthfeel of real meat products.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 I
 n 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23085">
 October 2023
 </a>
 , the company partnered with RMS Foods, a US food manufacturer, to provide soy protein-based clean-label alternatives to private-label brands at a value price. In addition, the company launched a new line of heat-and-serve meals, including options such as plant-based sausage patties, nuggets, and beefless Korean bulgogi.&nbsp;
 
 
 
</div>

Improved Nature

Impossible Foods produces plant-based meat products using plant protein and high-moisture extrusion cooking techniques to transform soy protein into a texture similar to that of meat. Its portfolio includes plant-based beef, sausage, chicken, pork, meatballs, and ready meals.The company has added several products to its portfolio since launching, including <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12539">Impossible Chicken Patty</a>, a new range of <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12760">frozen meals</a>, new <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16551">plant-based chicken products</a> (Impossible Spicy Chicken Nuggets, Impossible Spicy Chicken Patties, and Impossible Chicken Tenders), the <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19591">Impossible Indulgent Burger</a>, and the <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24643">Impossible Beef Hot Dog</a>.In July 2019, Impossible Foods gained FDA approval to use “Heme”, allowing the company to sell uncooked plant-based burgers at retail outlets as opposed to only selling cooked burgers at foodservice outlets. Further, in&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/32229">July 2024</a>, the company received the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) provisional approval for the use of heme, followed by a positive safety opinion from a panel on the genetic modifications of the ingredient in&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/36222">November 2024</a>.&nbsp;In&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/32555">August 2024</a>, the company opened its first in-person foodservice concept called "Impossible Quality Meats" in Chicago, Illinois. This pop-up store offered a fully plant-based menu featuring items from its portfolio.&nbsp;Following this, in&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/34557">October 2024</a>, Impossible Foods launched three new retail products: Impossible Disney The Lion King Chicken Nuggets, Impossible Meal Makers, and Impossible Corn Dogs. The company claimed that these were healthier, cholesterol-free alternatives.Key customers and partnershipsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8934">March 2022</a>, Kroger announced a co-branding partnership with Impossible Foods to develop meat alternatives for Kroger’s private label business, thereby expanding its customer base to include more price sensitive customers. Impossible Foods <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13931">partnered</a> with Dominos Pizza Australia in October 2022 to launch a new range of plant-based pizzas featuring Impossible Beef. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22210">September 2023</a>, the company partnered with the American restaurant chain International House of Pancakes (IHOP) to introduce plant-based sausage patties and burgers to IHOP's menus nationwide. Further, in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26436">February 2024</a>, Impossible Foods inked a partnership with the US Army Central to serve plant-based meats at their dining facilities overseas.

Impossible Foods

Planted Foods is a plant-based spinoff of ETH Zurich- a public research university in Switzerland. Its portfolio includes Planted brand chicken, pulled, kebab, bratwurst, schnitzel, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22375">duck</a>, and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25317">ham</a>.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27493">March 2024</a>, the company launched a new fermented steak alternative developed using its proprietary whole-muscle platform. This platform uses a proprietary fermentation process to develop clean-label alternatives with improved taste and texture. Planted Foods intends to use this platform to expand its product range with more product concepts later. Further, in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28147">April 2024</a>, Planted launched vegan Chicken Tikka Skewers in the UK.As of <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30584">June 2024</a>, Planted products were available at over 6,100 restaurants and 8,700 retail outlets across Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, the UK, Benelux, and UAE with plans to expand into the US later.Key customers and partnershipsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19434">June 2023</a>, the company partnered with French agrifood company Fleury Michon to launch the Eminces Vegetaux range into retail in France. The partnership leveraged Planted's expertise in plant-based foods and Fleury Michon's artisanal marinades, reach, and reputation to offer plant-based alternatives for Fleury Michon’s established consumer base.Funding and financialsIn its latest funding round in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates">September 2022</a>, the company raised ~USD 72 million (CHF 70 million) in Series B funding led by L Catterton, with participation from Vorwerk Ventures, Movendo, and Yann Summer. The funds were earmarked for launching a new whole-cut product range, further expansion into Europe, and increasing production capacity.

Planted Foods

Suppliers of plant ingredients such as legumes, mycelia, and other proteins for the production of plant-based meat, fish, poultry, and pork products; suppliers of technology related to the production of plant-based meat

Producers of plant-based pork alternatives using plant proteins such as pea, soy, wheat, etc. Some startups also use unique ingredients such as mushroom mycelium (whole-cut bacon) and jack fruits (pulled pork) to produce pork alternatives. Products are manufactured mostly in sausage or pulled (pork) form

Producers of plant-based chicken, turkey, and duck alternatives using plant proteins such as peas, soy, wheat, etc. Products are manufactured mostly in nuggets or shredded form

Producers of plant-based seafood alternatives using plant proteins such as peas, soy, chickpeas, etc. Some startups use more unique ingredients such as algae, konjac (a Japanese yam root), tomatoes, and eggplants. Products are manufactured mostly in shredded form or as cuts (for sushi)

Producers of plant-based beef alternatives using plant proteins such as peas, soy, wheat, mung beans, etc. Products are manufactured mostly in a burger patty, sausage, meatball, or minced form

Utilizes 3D printing techniques to develop meat alternatives

Provides sustainable alternatives to animal meat

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 The German food tech startup, Kynda (previously known as Keen 4 Greens), is initiating the construction of a large-scale facility in Hamburg, Germany. The aim of this facility is to produce mycoproteins within 48 hours using Kynda's innovative fermentation technology applied to food and agricultural waste.
 The upcoming 6,200 sq m facility will include two 720 sq m production halls. Kynda's plug-and-play bioreactors will be installed in these halls to generate 2,500 tons of Kynda Meat, their flagship mycoprotein ingredient, each year.
</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 The company launched its flagship ingredient, Kynda Meat, in <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/27423"> March 2024 </a> . This product is exempt from EU novel foods regulations and claims to surpass traditional meat and plant-based options in terms of protein content (37% in dry matter), essential amino acids, fiber, and vitamin enhancement.

Kynda

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