Food Brewer confirms Lindt & Sprüngli and Sparkalis as strategic investors to support cocoa alternatives development

Zurich-based food tech company, Food Brewer, has announced Lindt & Sprüngli and Sparkalis as strategic investors and collaborators in its latest financing round. While the total amount raised in this round has not been disclosed, Food Brewer states that the involvement of these companies validates the market potential for its sustainable cocoa alternatives.

Lindt & Sprüngli, a global producer known for its premium chocolate products, is expected to share technical knowledge that will support Food Brewer in refining its cocoa products and accelerating its go-to-market strategy. According to Food Brewer, this collaboration will help meet industry standards for flavor and quality, which are essential for broader market acceptance.

Sparkalis, the corporate venture arm of Puratos Group, invests in startups that promote healthier products and sustainable technologies. Its involvement in this financing round is aligned with its mission to support innovative solutions that have a positive environmental impact. Sparkalis’s experience with food technology startups is expected to provide additional support for Food Brewer’s scale-up plans.

Food Brewer focuses on producing cocoa alternatives through plant cell cultivation. This process allows cocoa cells to grow without the need for large-scale farming, potentially reducing deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions associated with traditional cocoa production. The method also requires fewer natural resources, such as water and land, offering a more sustainable approach.

Plant cell cultivation could also address ethical concerns linked to cocoa farming, such as child labor and unstable supply chains. Food Brewer’s approach aims to ensure that its cocoa alternatives meet the sensory and functional requirements of the food industry while offering a lower environmental footprint.

This latest announcement follows Food Brewer's earlier seed round in February 2024, during which the company raised over CHF 5 million to support its research and development efforts. The company has not disclosed whether the latest financing round exceeds this previous amount.