1 year and 33 start-ups later
Today Sustainable Food Ventures turns 1 year old - yay!
Huge thank you to everyone that joined us and backed us on this ongoing journey! During this first year my partner Ryan and I brought to life the dreams of 33 startups and hundreds of entrepreneurs around the world.
Some statistics about SFV’s Rocketship’s ride:
Distributed among three different technologies
3 Recombinant
10 Cell-Based
20 Plant-Based
50:50 Female and Male founders
Based in 5 different continents and 15 different countries.
The 15 countries where SFV start-ups are located.
Overview of the 33 Start-Ups
Cell-Based Meat
We kicked off the cell-based meat cluster in South-Africa by investing in Mzansi Meat and Mogale Meat working on beef and antelope respectively. Here in the US we have supported Novel Farms developing jamon iberico and Blue Ridge Bantam working on poultry. Magic Valley is the 5th cell-based meat company in SFV’s portfolio working on cell based lamb for the Australian market.
Photo Credit: Renegade Foods
Plant-Based Meat, Chorizo and Charcuterie
Veggie Victory is the 1st plant-based meat company in Nigeria where the market is predicted to grow from 200 million to 400 million consumers in the next two decades. New Breed Meats is the 1st black and woman-owned producer of premium plant-based meats based in US. Delicious chorizo is being made by Pow! Foods in Santiago, Chile. Renegade Foods is the company behind outstanding plant-based charcuterie winning consumer hearts all over the United States.
Mushroom Meat
Two of our European companies are working hard to make meat out of mycelium. Libre Foods, based in Spain, is developing mycelium based bacon and whole cut steak. Keen 4 Greens, based in Germany, is working on a mycelium based chicken and other meat alternatives.
Photo Credit: Aqua Cultured Foods
Seafood - Plant, Cell and Fungi Based
SFV has supported three companies with very different technological approaches to alternative seafood. In Singapore we have Umami Meats who is growing cell-based eel. Brew51, a start-up based in India is developing plant-based salmon. Last but not least, Aqua Cultured Foods in the US is making seafood alternatives by fermenting fungi!
Cell-Based Milk and its Recombinant Proteins
Both ProProtein based in Estonia and De Novo Dairy based in South-Africa are using recombinant technologies to develop milk proteins. ProProtein is working on precision fermentation of casein while De Novo Dairy is developing whey. While the other two companies are focused on single milk proteins, BetterMilk based in Canada is aiming to make whole's cow milk by growing mammary cells.
Photo Credit: GoodMylk
Plant-Based Dairy and Eggs
Watch out India, GoodMylk and Green Gourmet Foods are the next hits when looking for plant-based milk, yogurt, cheese and all the other good dairy products. When in Ghana and looking for the most sustainable almond milk, Talmond Foods is your solution, using tropical almonds (which use less water) to make milk. Mergulo caters for all consumers craving finger licking butter in the UK. Finally, if eggs is something you miss, do not look any further Evo Foods has you covered in India.
Photo Credit: Fellow Creatures
Everything Sweet
Fellow Creatures is a UK start-up making heavenly tasting plant-based milk chocolate with a variety of flavour options while supporting the cocoa farmers. Another take on chocolate is pioneered by California Cultured who is working on cell-based chocolate in the US. In the recombinant technology category in the US we find MeliBio making sweet-sweet honey.
Crucial Ingredients
For food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries two US companies are creating key ingredients. First we have Jellatech developing cell-based gelatine and collagen and secondly, MushLove making various mushroom based ingredients. On the other hand, Hoxton Farms in the UK is growing fat cells to serve plant-based and cell-based meat industries to make the products even juicer and more authentically tasting. In addition, Meat.The End in Israel creates ingredients to significantly improve meat alternatives texture.
Photo Credit: BlackBird Foods
Plant-Based Foods and Beyond
BlackBird Foods in the US is making the best plant-based pizza together with outstanding seitan products. Grainly Foods from Lithuania is developing dehydrated vegan meals that are a great companion for hiking or just a busy day's meal. Another US start-up Incredible Eats is making plastic free, edible cutlery to accompany your delicious ice cream. Finally, in South-Africa we have Infinite Foods who has taken the role of distributing plant-based products in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Next Steps
When we first started this adventure, our only aim was to accelerate the future and the companies that we felt were inevitable. What we didn't expect was how quickly these companies or clusters (in the Bay Area, in Research Triangle Park and in South Africa) would grow!
We're certain that in the next few years will see a dramatic rise in the future of food across not just the existing clusters but new and exciting clusters, particularly across Europe, Latin America and Africa. The future is bright for sustainable food globally and we're delighted to continue the journey with so many mission driven entrepreneurs and investors!
Join Us
If you're a founder, looking for help and funding, please reach out to mariliis@sustainablefoodventures.com, our mission is to help founders at their earliest stages (from idea onwards).
If you'd like to join us and invest alongside us, please feel free to sign up on our AngelList Rolling Fund page HERE.
Photo Credit: Triangle Business Journal