FoodSeed, the national Agrifoodtech program in Italy, along with CDP Venture Capital Sgr, Fondazione Cariverona, and UniCredit.

FoodSeed

We identify and support the most innovative European food startups and help them to thrive in the global market

Eatable Adventures

The mission of Grey Silo Ventures, the Corporate Venture Capital of Cereal Docks Group established to invest in the supply chain of non-animal-based ingredients and related innovative technologies, is to broaden horizons in the global food-tech sector while maintaining the original vocation as a processor of plant based sources and explorer of new opportunities for innovation and business diversification.  Grey Silo Ventures is committed to study the great potential of new fermentation processes and innovative green proteins, by using them to create novel ingredients. The ag-tech world and cellular agriculture represent other areas of interest that are part of the value chain in which Cereal Docks Group operates.   We want to play a leading role in the creation of an ecosystem of innovative food-related businesses as well as help to grow it with the aim of developing novel functional ingredients that are increasingly genuine and sustainable. We also strongly believe that investing in the projects of new company founders with a long-term and strategic vision means looking afresh to the future and innovation.  A commitment that aims to seek new answers through innovation in a market where sustainability and a healthier and more inclusive diet are the new trends.  Consumers have become increasingly demanding and Grey Silo Ventures is one of the key milestones of Cereal Docks strategy whose goal is finding the perfect balance between nowadays new market requirements and the needs of food manufacturers.

Grey Silo Ventures

Exor Ventures is the venture capital arm of Exor, one of Europe's largest diversified holding companies. Exor Ventures focuses on early and growth-stage investments in technology-driven companies across various sectors, including digital services, fintech, cybersecurity, and mobility. Exor Ventures leverages its strategic insights and global network to identify promising startups with disruptive potential and supports them through funding, mentorship, and access to its extensive resources.   EXOR Seeds offers a truly different type of partnership to the select group of entrepreneurs that it backs: - As a fifth-generation family-led business, we proved that we are builders not traders; - Our permanent capital allows us to take a long-term view and put the interest of the companies We invest in first; - Our global network, across industries and geographies, is a unique advantage to entrepreneurs

Exor Ventures

CDP Venture Capital Sgr - National Innovation Fund aims to make venture capital a cornerstone of the country's economic development and innovation, creating the conditions for an overall and sustainable growth of the venture capital ecosystem.

CDP Venture Capital

Ulixes Capital is a venture capital investment firm.

Ulixes Capital

Moonstone invests in 120 pre-seed and seed-stage startups, without constraints of sector or geography, championing founders who are deeply committed to addressing impactful yet unsolved problems that affect people and the planet. Moonstone follows a lean investment process, deploying funds in two weeks' time

Moonstone

Newland Syndicate are operator- investors actively backing European Food & AgTech entrepreneurs.

Newland Syndicate

2100 Ventures is dedicated to supporting European entrepreneurs who are driving the new golden age of industrial innovation. We’re investing in early-stage B2B startups across Europe in SaaS, fintech, data and ClimateTech.

2100 Ventures

Kost Capital is a venture capital fund backing the visionary entrepreneurs creating ingredients and enablers.

Kost Capital

Maia Venture

Foreverland

Foreverland Food is an Italian food-tech startup.

Foreverland is an Italian food tech startup that has developed Choruba, a cocoa-free chocolate alternative made from carob. The company's flagship product, previously known as Freecao, is produced using novel technologies to transform carob, a resilient Mediterranean crop, into a sustainable chocolate substitute.&nbsp;

Empowering sustainable food innovation through food engineering tech

Alternative Ingredients

Italian foodtech Foreverland raises €3.4 million to redefine the future of chocolate

status code: 502, reason phrase: Bad Gateway

Foreverland is an Italian food tech startup that has developed Choruba, a cocoa-free chocolate alternative made from carob. The company's flagship product, previously known as Freecao, is produced using novel technologies to transform carob, a resilient Mediterranean crop, into a sustainable chocolate substitute.&nbsp;Choruba is claimed to generate 80% fewer emissions and require 90% less water compared with conventional chocolate production. Foreverland's technology addresses food waste by upcycling 90% of the carob fruit that is typically discarded, using only the seeds for locust bean gum production.The company offers Choruba in various forms, including drops and liquid, tailored for food industry applications. Foreverland has expanded its product range to include cocoa-free pralines, panettone, and Easter eggs.&nbsp;In 2024, Foreverland opened its first production facility in Puglia, Italy, with an initial capacity of 1,000 tonnes annually. Foreverland filed two patents related to its technology and continued to invest in R&amp;D to enhance the scalability and versatility of Choruba.Key customers and partnershipsForeverland secured partnerships with several manufacturers in the bakery and confectionery sectors. In December 2023, the company collaborated with Italian chocolate brand Bodrato to produce cocoa-free pralines and partnered with Parco la Serra pastry shop to create a cocoa-free panettone. Forever has also worked with local startup Nebra Skay Studios to create a 3D-printed, low-waste pouch for its Easter eggs in March 2024.

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 California Cultured is a producer of cocoa products such as cocoa powder, chocolate, cocoa butter, and flavanols using plant cell culture technology by taking biopsies from selected cacao plants. The company developed its research based on Criollo cacao varieties, fine-tuning cell lines for specific flavors. In August 2022, the company announced that it was working on the development of cell-cultured coffee.
 
 
 As of December 2022, the company was building its 12,100 sq m facility in West Sacramento and had begun building its pilot plant. As of July 2023, the company was finalizing production methods, with the aim of a commercial launch by 2025&ndash;2026, following FDA approval.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In 2022, California Cultured partnered with VTT, a Finnish national research institute, to develop cell lines for cell-cultured coffee. 
 &nbsp;In 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates">
 February 2023
 </a>
 , the company inked a 10-year commercial partnership with Japanese chocolate corporation Meiji to incorporate its cell-based cocoa into Meiji's products. This collaboration marked the first global use of cell-cultured chocolate.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 California Cultured received undisclosed investments from investment platforms focused on clean, lab-grown food such as CULT Food Science (February 2022) and Blue Horizon (March 2022). In October 2021, the company raised USD 4 million in seed funding led by Agronomics to expand its R&amp;D activities.
 
 
 
 .
 
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California Cultured

Nukoko is a UK-based company that produces 100% cocoa-free chocolate peanuts made from locally sourced fava beans using a biotransformation and precision fermentation process. It also uses a microbial library of cocoa flavors to match chocolate in terms of flavor, thickness, and texture.As of October 2023, the company had opened a limited product launch and sold out the first batch of cocoa-free chocolate nuts, with a full launch planned for 2025 for the EU/UK markets as a B2B ingredients supplier. The company claims to produce 90% less carbon emission per kg than conventional chocolate&nbsp;and its chocolate alternatives contain 40% less sugar and higher protein, fiber, and antioxidants than traditional chocolate.&nbsp;

Nukoko

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 Win-Win (WNWN Food Labs prior to 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27014">
 February 2024
 </a>
 ) is a London-based producer of cocoa-free chocolate using plant-based ingredients such as grains/cereals and legumes through a proprietary fermentation process. The company's cocoa-free chocolate can be used in candy bars, confectionery, cookies, chocolate coatings, ice cream, and beverages. It claims to use 90% less water and emit 80%&ndash;90% less greenhouse gases than regular chocolate.
 
 
 In May 2022, Win-Win was operating on a lab scale, capable of producing between 300kg and 600 kg (~661 and 1,323 lbs) of chocolate per month. In November 2022, the company began expanding its facility in Hackney Wick, increasing its production space 8x. In November 2023, the company expanded its plant-based milk chocolate to bakeries, foodservice, confectionery groups, and CPG/FMCG companies 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24144">
 worldwide
 </a>
 .
 
 
 The company had previously introduced limited-edition cocoa-free products via D2C channels: dark chocolate thins at GBP 10 (~USD 13) per box (May 2022) and the Waim! Bar priced at GBP 8 (~USD 9) for a pack of three bars (September 2022). In March 2023, the company finalized the recipe and process for a line of milk chocolate products that are cocoa- and dairy-free and contain both oats and tiger nuts. The company also experimented with an alternative chocolate ice cream bar at the H&auml;agen-Dazs Start-Up Innovation Challenge in June 2023.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In September 2023, Win-Win partnered with the UK department store Fortnum &amp; Mason to showcase its cocoa-free chocolate and technology, including a demonstration and tasting during Fortnum's Harvest Week. In December 2022, the company partnered with Milan-based luxury gift service DLISH to include its specialty chocolate hazelnut gianduja, a northern Italian confection, in DLISH's holiday gifts. In December 2023, the company completed the 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24805">
 CoLab Tech accelerator
 </a>
 with Mondelēz International and showcased its cocoa-free chocolate bars, truffles, and coated biscuits at Mondelēz's North American headquarters.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In February 2023, Win-Win raised GBP 4.5 million (~USD 5.6 million) in Series A funding to scale up manufacturing and increase headcount in anticipation of its UK retail launch.
 
 
 
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Win-Win

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 Planet A Foods is a Germany-based startup that makes cocoa-free chocolate ChoViva (formerly NoCoa/QOA) via precision fermentation of oats and sunflower seeds. It then uses proprietary micro-bacteria and flavor formation processes to create a vegan product that mimics the texture and flavor of chocolate. In addition to Germany, ChoViva focuses on Austria and Switzerland, with expansion plans to the US in 2024.
 
 
 Planet A Foods produces cocoa-free chocolates by blending cocoa-free ingredients: a cocoa powder substitute (ChoViva Concentrate) and a cocoa butter substitute (ChoViva Butter). ChoViva represents Planet Foods' debut cocoa-free chocolate product, created using Planet A Foods' cocoa concentrate alternative. The chocolate is produced in-house at Planet A&rsquo;s facility in the Czech Republic. As of October 2023, the ChoViva range included 21 products with prices ranging from EUR 0.5 to EUR 9.95 (~USD 0.53 to USD 10.48).
 
 
 Additionally, the company was in the process of developing its cocoa butter alternative through precision fermentation technology, using single-cell oils and fermentation byproducts. As of October 2023, the company was shipping this fat to early customers for R&amp;D purposes.
 
 
 The company asserts that its chocolate product could be 10x more sustainable, 20% cheaper, and emit about 92% less than conventional chocolate while also using 30% less sugar and 94% less water.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In April 2023, the company partnered with German online retailer Confiserie Seidl to launch ChoViva, its first sustainable chocolate line. The brand sees itself as a B2B player, after partnering with oat cereal maker K&ouml;lln on a new line of vegan mueslis using the company's cocoa-free chocolate in September 2023. In December 2023, ChoViva teamed up with 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24997">
 Lindt
 </a>
 to launch a special edition chocolate bar for Veganuary, named &quot;Soft &amp; Creamy Hazelnut.
 
 
 In 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26955">
 February 2024
 </a>
 , Planet A Foods partnered with REWE Group, Germany&rsquo;s second-largest supermarket chain, to supply ChoViva for REWE Group&rsquo;s own-label cocoa-free products.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In its latest funding round in 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26176">
 February 2024
 </a>
 , the company raised USD 15.4 million in Series A funding led by World Fund, with participation from Omnes Capital, Cherry Ventures, Nucleus Capital, and others. The funds were earmarked for additional scientist hires to bolster its 50-person team in Germany to increase the production of cocoa butter and palm oil alternatives on an industrial scale.
 
 
 
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Planet A Foods

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 Atomo Coffee is a developer of beanless coffee that comes in two flavors: 1) regular beanless coffee with 100 mg of caffeine per serving made from date seeds, ramon seeds, sunflower seed extract, pea protein, millet, lemon, guava, and defatted fenugreek seeds and 2) decaffeinated (decaf) beanless coffee. The company claims to be the world's first beanless coffee maker.
 
 
 The company&rsquo;s products are available for retail purchase at 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23234">
 Gumption Coffee
 </a>
 in New York. In addition, the company began taking pre-orders for wholesale at a price of USD 20.99 per pound (as of October 2023).
 
 
 The company also plans to open a facility in March 2024 that can annually produce four million lbs of ground coffee, made from upcycled date pits (~80 million cups).
 
 
 Atomo's brews reportedly use 94% less water and produce 93% less carbon emissions than traditional coffee.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In July 2022, the company partnered with Minor Figures, a vegan products company, to launch the 8-ounce canned Oat Milk Latte, a beanless cold brew, one of Atomo's first focus products.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In June 2022, the company raised USD 40 million in a Series A funding round for product development and to scale up manufacturing. In November 2023, the company secured an undisclosed multi-million dollar investment from Japanese beverage leader 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24577">
 Suntory Holdings
 </a>
 to strengthen its international distribution.
 
 
 
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Atomo Coffee

Companies providing technology related to fortification, cell culture, and fermentation and those supplying equipment including bioreactors and fermenters for the production of novel foods

Companies offering salt substitutes to reduce sodium content in foods and beverages

Companies developing natural sweeteners and solutions to reduce sugar content in foods and beverages

Companies creating natural flavor, texture, and coloring ingredients from plant-based sources like seaweed and algae

Companies producing chocolate without cocoa using ingredients like oats, seeds, and cell-cultured cocoa

Companies making coffee substitutes from ingredients like barley, date seeds, and sunflower seeds

Companies offering plant-based alternatives to honey and nut spreads, addressing dietary restrictions and allergies

Companies producing cooking oils and fats through fermentation, cell-cultured and plant-based extraction processes

Companies developing protein ingredients via cell-culture or fermentation for dietary supplements and food production, excluding plant-based or cell-cultured meat

Transforms raw materials into novel, sustainable food products with minimal environmental impact

<div>
 Foreverland, a cocoa-free chocolate manufacturer, has successfully raised EUR 3.4 million (~USD 3.76 million) in a seed funding round. This round saw participation from several entities, including Grey Silo Ventures, Eatable Adventures, Kost Capital 2100 Ventures, Newland Syndicate, and Moonstone.
 This funding is set to facilitate several initiatives. Notably, it will support the establishment of Foreverland's first production unit in Puglia, Italy. Moreover, it aims to enable the expansion into new markets, speed up the creation of new products that incorporate Choruba, and back research and development efforts. These R&amp;D efforts are primarily focused on improving the scalability and versatility of Foreverland's key ingredient.
 Choruba, the carob-based chocolate substitute championed by Foreverland, is hailed for its impressive environmental benefits. The usage of Choruba reportedly slashes water consumption by 90% and emissions by 80% when compared to traditional chocolate. Furthermore, it utilises 90% of the carob fruit that would normally go to waste, thus addressing a significant food waste problem.
 Foreverland is an Italian food tech startup that came into existence in 2023. The success of its pioneering sustainable, cocoa-free chocolate — sourced from the carob tree native to Italy — has helped it rise above the competition in the sector.
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Foreverland

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