Meala FoodTech, an Israeli plant-based ingredient startup, has raised USD 1.9 million in a pre-seed funding round led by The Kitchen FoodTech Hub and DSM Venturing, with participation from Milk & Honey Ventures.

The funds raised will be used to further develop its technology and expedite to pilot scale, as the company gears up for US and European launches next year.

Founded in 2021, Meala FoodTech has developed a functional protein platform that can be used to replace commonly-used ingredients in plant-based meats (such as methylcellulose) with clean-label ingredients by utilizing multi-functional proteins that claim to improve texture while also substituting for binders and gelling agents. The company unveiled prototypes for several types of alternative meats in September 2022 and has already entered partnerships with many leading plant-based CPG manufacturers.