Food Startups 12 articles

Food startups are important because they offer innovative solutions to address challenges in the food industry. They are often focused on creating healthier, more sustainable and more affordable food options, as well as making food more accessible. 

They can also help to create jobs, spur economic growth, and ensure that everyone has access to healthy and nutritious food. Thus, lately we can observe an increased interest from investors in the sector.

Innovations by food startup companies

1. Plant-Based Foods 

Plant-based foods are becoming increasingly popular, as consumers are more conscious of their health and environmental impact. Startups are developing plant-based alternatives to traditional animal proteins, such as vegan burgers and sausages. 

2. Healthy Snacks

Consumers are continuously looking for more convenient and healthy snack options. Startups are creating healthier snacks that are low in sugar, high in protein and fiber, and have fewer preservatives. 

3. Online Grocery Delivery

Food delivery services have become a popular trend in recent years, as consumers are looking for more convenient and time-saving meal options. Startups are offering meal kits with pre-portioned ingredients, or ready-made meals that can be quickly heated up. 

4. Sustainable Packaging

Consumers are becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of their food purchases. Startups are developing sustainable and biodegradable food packaging solutions to reduce the amount of plastic waste. 

5. Food production automation

Technology is transforming the food industry, as startups are leveraging data and AI to create personalized dietary plans and improve food safety. Startups are also developing apps that make it easier to order food and track nutrition. 

In addition, automation and robotics are being used to streamline the food production and supply chain process, as well as reduce labor costs. Automation can also be used to increase efficiency and accuracy in food production, as well as reduce waste. 

6. Local & Artisanal Food

Consumers are increasingly prioritizing local and artisanal food, as they are looking for fresher, more sustainable, and higher-quality ingredients. Startups are capitalizing on this trend by focusing on the production of local, artisanal, and organic food products. 

7. Food Waste Reduction

Food waste is a major problem in the industry, and startups are working on solutions to reduce waste. 

These solutions include:

• food donation programs
• composting services
• technology that helps restaurants better manage their food inventory 

Some of the world’s most famous examples of food startups include Impossible Foods, a company that uses a plant-based protein to create a burger that looks, cooks and tastes like real beef and Beyond Meat, which uses a combination of plant-based proteins to create burgers, sausages and other meat products that are indistinguishable from the real ones.

Examples of food startups in Central and Eastern Europe

Agrivi 

Agrivi is a Croatian food tech startup providing farm management software to enable the digital transformation of farms, food companies and other stakeholders in the food value chain. 

Better Origin 

Better Origin is a Greek startup combating food waste with its AI-powered insect farm that uses larvaes’ power to upcycle nutrients.

Bonapp Eco 

Bonapp Eco is a Romanian food waste startup connecting food retailers looking to sell food with an approaching the expiration date with consumers looking to buy it with a discount.

Juicefast 

Juicefast is a Croatian-Slovenian startup focused on the production of natural detox juices and healthy meals

Rohlik 

Rohlik is a Chezh online grocery delivery unicorn company that’s also an investor in Bulgarian eBag. 

Verdino 

Verdino is a Romanian company that has developed over 60 plant-based meat alternative products, using mainly pea protein.

FAQ

Who are the authors writing about food startups? 

The Recursive’s journalists that write about food startups are Elena Ivanova and Antoanela Ionita.

What materials are written most often? 

We create diverse content covering the whole spectrum of everything related to food startups – from industry mappings to expert interviews to the latest news and developments in the industry.

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