Summary
- Profile Type
- Business request
- POD Reference
- BRDK20241220015
- Term of Validity
- 20 December 2024 - 20 December 2025
- Company's Country
- Denmark
- Type of partnership
- Supplier agreement
- Commercial agreement
- Targeted Countries
- All countries
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General information
- Short Summary
- A fast-growing women-led food company from Denmark sells their healthy alternative protein products to the catering and food service sector across the country. To consolidate their market position, they are looking for suppliers of alternative proteins and ingredients, which can be integrated into new recipes and products, as well as contract production facilities, to scale up their production volumes.
- Full Description
-
A small Danish women-led start-up company has developed a range of food products based on alternative proteins, primarily mycelium, which are sold to food service companies and restaurants across the country. The company has created a completely new category of products that target excellent taste and nutrition rather than simply trying to imitate meat. The first product lines are based on mycelium, combined with other natural ingredients. The company has won several innovation awards, including startup of the year awards from prestigious national institutions. The women-led team has received over 500.000 EUR in pre-seed financing, which has helped validate the market, protect their IP, establish and develop their supply chain and confirm the environmental benefits of the food products. Their growth is based on a strong positioning in the market, providing both good taste and texture, as well as not being a highly processed food, in comparison with many market alternatives.
The European meat alternative market is expected to grow with a compound annual growth rate of 8% between 2024-2029 with a total value of around 3,8 billion EUR and the Danish company is seen as a strong beachhead. According to research funded by EU Smart Protein project (2023), 51% of European meat consumers are actively reducing their annual meat intake. The primary motivation for reducing meat consumption is for health reasons (47%), but direct meat imitations are often processed and full of additives which make them seen by consumers as ultra-processed and unhealthy. The Danish company avoids this and occupies a strong niche as a supplier of healthy food.
While the market prognosis is positive, the company recognises the need to diversify their portfolio and expand to other sectors and with new products. In order to continue their expansion and diversify their production, they are looking for suppliers and production partners. - Advantages and Innovations
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• High growth rates within the professional sector demonstrates the quality of their food products in a challenging environment
• The company has attracted significant funding and investment, demonstrating their sound financial set up and market potential
• The business has been awarded numerous prizes, both for their concept and market approach, as well as for their product quality
• There is a very large and growing market for good, healthy, alternative food products with strong growth projected for many years ahead.
• They have a large portfolio of professional clients in the food catering service and professional restaurateurs, which facilitate market entry and enable more rapid expansion. - Stage of Development
- Already on the market
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 2: Zero Hunger
- Goal 1: No Poverty
- Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
- IPR description
-
Suppliers: The company is interested in hearing from other innovative upstream companies, who have technologies for conversion of by-products into ingredients that are already approved for consumption within the EU. This can include suppliers of ingredients, proteins and other products, produced from waste side streams and with clear health and environmental benefits. Products which are price competitive with standard products are of particular interest to bring production costs down and facilitate mainstream sales.
Production partners: They are looking for potential production partners, which have large scale and automated production facilities for making the food products. Experience of working with the alternative protein market and / or healthy food sector is a major advantage.
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
-
Suppliers have technologies for conversion of by-products into ingredients that are already approved for consumption within the EU. This can include suppliers of ingredients, proteins and other products, produced from waste side streams and with clear health and environmental benefits. Products which are price competitive with standard products are of particular interest to bring production costs down and facilitate mainstream sales.
Production partners have large scale and automated production facilities for making the food products. Experience of working with the alternative protein market and / or healthy food sector is a major advantage. - Type and Size of Partner
- SME <=10
- SME 11-49
- SME 50 - 249
- Type of partnership
- Supplier agreement
- Commercial agreement
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 08001004 - Food Processing
- Market keywords
- 05008002 - Food and feed ingredients
- Sector Groups Involved
- Agri-Food
- Targeted countries
- All countries