Fooditive

About Fooditive

Fooditive operates as a plant-based ingredient manufacturer, strategically positioning itself within the sustainable food technology sector. The company was founded in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in 2018 by Moayad Abushokhedim, a food scientist with a background in culinary arts and food fermentation. His journey, influenced by experiencing food scarcity in his childhood in Jordan, instilled a commitment to creating healthy and affordable food for everyone. This personal mission is central to the company's focus on upcycling and a circular economy.

The core of Fooditive's business is converting food production side-streams and third-grade produce into high-value, functional ingredients for the food and beverage industry. This B2B model provides manufacturers across sectors like confectionery, baked goods, beverages, and dairy with sustainable alternatives. The company’s revenue is generated through the sale of these ingredients and, more recently, through licensing its proprietary technologies to global partners. A significant milestone was the July 2024 exclusive licensing agreement with Leprino Foods, the world's largest mozzarella producer, to commercialize its non-animal casein globally.

Fooditive’s product portfolio is a direct result of its upcycling philosophy. Its flagship product is a zero-calorie sweetener, Keto-Fructose, derived from apples and pears. The process involves a continuous fermentation technique to extract and convert fructose, resulting in a sweetener that is approximately 70% as sweet as sugar without impacting blood glucose levels. Beyond the sweetener, the company has expanded its offerings to include a vegan casein powder developed via precision fermentation, which mimics the texture and functionality of dairy casein. Other developments include bee-free honey, a thickener from banana peels, a preservative from carrots, and an emulsifier from potato extracts, all created by valorizing materials that would otherwise be discarded.

The company's strategic direction has been supported by several funding rounds, including a Seed round in March 2023 led by Sparkalis, the venture arm of Puratos. This partnership and investment from entities like MassChallenge and Capital V are aimed at expanding Fooditive's global market presence and scaling its production. The company is also actively pursuing regulatory approvals, such as the Novel Food certification from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), to solidify its market position.