Mediterranean Food Lab raises $17m series A to scale up AI-powered solid state fermentation tech
Summary
Israeli startup Mediterranean Food Lab (MFL) has raised a $17 million series A round to scale up novel solid state fermentation technology to create flavor ingredients it claims can transform the sensory experience of eating plant-based foods.The funding round was led by Gullsp\xe5ng Re:food, together with PeakBridge, Arancia International, and FoodBridge, among others, and will help MFL scale up industrial production and build a sales team to lead the commercialization of its ingredients to foodservice and CPG companies in Europe.Cofounded by B.Z. We use data science to help us make better flavor blends and formulations, to track and improve production processes and more.We are building a unique data asset that will allow us, in the future, to be more efficient and accurate at extending our portfolio and providing our customers with next-gen flavor solutions based on true consumer needs.Each MFL ingredient has a unique fingerprint of volatile (aroma) and non-volatile (taste, mouthfeel, and body) molecules, which creates its multi-layered taste profile, he explained. As we are currently scaling production in the Netherlands and building an R&D center in France, it makes sense to begin commercialization close to home.European consumers are known as health-conscious and for seeking foods that are clean label, healthy, and free from artificial additives and preservatives. European consumers are also increasingly adopting flexitarian (less animal-protein-based) diets for health, environmental, and ethical reasons.There is a vast range of potential food applications for MFL ingredients, far beyond meat alternatives, he claimed.Our solutions work great in meat analogs and provide the missing meatiness and complexity to plant-protein-based matrices; but are also very potent in dishes traditionally prepared with animal protein or meaty stocks. In the long term, the potential of this sector is significantly bigger than the meat analog market.Yoni Glickman, a member of the MFL board and managing partner at FoodSparks, Peakbridges seed-stage investment vehicle with EIT Food, said: From the first time we met the team and tasted the products, we immediately understood how this team and technology can be a huge driver in overcoming one of the most significant barriers to plant-based eating namely, the insufficient sensory experience.