FLTRD raises over €500,000 to expand food-scanning app and license processing scores

FLTRD has raised more than €500,000 (US$556,500) in a pre-seed round led by 4impact capital to expand its food-scanning app into Belgium and begin licensing its PureScore product-rating system to food producers and retailers.

• FLTRD raised more than €500,000 in a pre-seed round led by 4impact capital, with participation from angel investors who brought experience in the consumer goods industry.
• The company reported more than 35,000 app users in the Netherlands and coverage of over 150,000 products across seven supermarkets, with access on iPhone and Android.
• Funding supported plans to expand the team, enter Belgium before the end of 2026 and begin licensing its PureScore rating system to food producers and retailers.

The Dutch startup announced the investment on October 29, reporting that more than 35,000 people in the Netherlands were using its app to check products for ultra-processing and find less processed alternatives.

Users can scan products while shopping or at home. The app provides an assessment through PureScore, which FLTRD describes as an independent, science-based rating system combining information about ingredients, processing techniques and organic certification.

“In France, one in three people already uses a similar app. That's a clear sign people want more insight and guidance,” said Anke Kuik, Co-Founder of FLTRD.

“This investment allows us to bring in the people we need to accelerate. We're expanding to Belgium before the end of the year, and we'll be licensing the PureScore to food producers and retailers. We believe everyone has the right to understand the impact of what they eat.”

The funding will support recruitment alongside the Belgian expansion and development of the licensing business. FLTRD’s ambition is for 100 million people to shop using PureScore within five years.

Its existing database covers more than 150,000 products from seven supermarkets, with the app available on both iPhone and Android. Licensing would extend the system’s use from individual shoppers to businesses producing and selling food.

PureScore assesses ingredients including added sugars, fats, salt and additives, as well as refined ingredients that the company describes as having been stripped of nutrients.

It also considers processing techniques, including heating, hydrogenation and extrusion, and their effects on food structure. Organic certification forms a third component. FLTRD says organic products receive higher scores because of lower pesticide residues, making certification an explicit part of its assessment alongside formulation and processing.

The investment arrives while European policymakers are examining how ultra-processed foods should be assessed and addressed in public policy.

The European Commission requested scientific advice on the subject in July 2026, with recommendations expected in March 2027. The work includes assessing existing definitions and classifications, evidence on health effects and criteria that could inform future policy.

That process remains an assessment of the evidence and possible policy approaches. It does not establish PureScore as an EU standard or create a requirement for manufacturers to use a commercial processing score.

According to FLTRD’s announcement, the Commission also approached Kuik for her expertise.

“The fact that UPFs are now on the European agenda is an important step. It shows this isn't a passing trend, but a problem that calls for a structural response,” Kuik said.

FLTRD estimates that more than 70% of products on Dutch supermarket shelves are ultra-processed. Its proposition is to help shoppers identify those products and compare alternatives, while giving food businesses access to the same rating methodology.

Victor Straatman, Partner at 4impact capital, said the investor saw a commercial opportunity in demand for more detailed product information.

“The European debate on ultra-processed food signals a structural shift in the market. As the European Commission explores which policy frameworks are needed, transparency is becoming a commercial priority for the food sector,” he said.

“Our investment is directly tied to that shift. FLTRD has the data and the methodology to objectively measure a product's degree of processing, at exactly the moment verifiable product information is becoming a firm market requirement.”

Several angel investors with experience in fast-moving consumer goods also participated. They included Jeroen Lubbers, who invests in healthy food initiatives following a career in the sector.

“I've followed FLTRD since day one, so I'm glad to finally come on board. The demand is there, from consumers and within the industry itself,” Lubbers said.

“I believe change has to come from within, and that starts with being honest about what's in a product.”

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