The global chocolate industry, valued at $130 billion, faces growing challenges from both environmental and economic pressures. Climate change threatens the long-term viability of cocoa supplies, while conventional cocoa farming contributes to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and significant carbon emissions. Additionally, the industry has been heavily impacted by volatile cocoa prices, increasing uncertainty for producers and consumers alike. Understanding the need of the hour, Planet A Foods develops a sustainable, cocoa-free chocolate alternative.
Eyes the UK and French markets
The German startup just secured $30 million Series B equity funding co-led by Burda Principal Investments (which backed NeoTaste and Moneybox) and Zintinus, with participation from World Fund, Bayern Kapital (which backed OroraTech and DeepDrive), Cherry Ventures, Tengelmann Ventures, AgriFoodTech Venture Alliance, and Omnes Capital.
This latest investment will enable Planet A Foods to scale production from 2,000 to over 15,000 tons annually, leveraging both its own facilities and strategic partnerships to meet surging demand. Following successful product launches in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the company is set to debut in the UK and France in the first quarter of 2025.
How was the idea born?
Planet A Foods was launched in 2021 by twins Drs. Max and Sara Marquart to deliver a sustainable alternative to cocoa for the world’s chocolate lovers. Max, a material scientist by background and a two-time startup founder, was inspired to start the company after reading an eye-opening book by Rob Dunn, which detailed this dire situation.
His sister Sara, a food chemist and expert in biotechnology with a specialty in flavour formation who previously worked as Head of Flavour at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences was perfectly placed to tackle the problem of creating a product that tasted like chocolate without using any cocoa. The siblings teamed up and decided to go for it.
Using proprietary technology to ferment plant-based ingredients and naturally recreating the flavours and fats in the foods we love, the company helps produce food ingredients locally and sustainably with limited land and labour resources.
ChoViva: Cocoa-free chocolate alternative
ChoViva offers an innovative, scalable solution: a cocoa-free chocolate alternative produced through a proprietary fermentation process using locally sourced sunflower seeds. This process reduces carbon emissions up to 80% less than chocolate production while significantly reducing the cost of material and delivering the same indulgent taste and a rich and velvety texture that consumers love from chocolate without the cocoa.
ChoViva products debuted in German supermarkets in 2023 and are expanding rapidly across Europe, with over 20 products available in over 42,000 retail stores so far. It is featured in over 20 products and trusted by major partners like Lambertz, Lindt, Rewe Group and Deutsche Bahn.
Dr. Maximilian Marquart, CEO and co-founder, said: “This Series B round marks a major milestone for us. With 30 million dollars in fresh funding and an industry-leading product, Planet A Foods is no longer just a startup – we’re now on the way to becoming a leading foodtech player reshaping the sustainable food industry. Our mission remains unchanged: to provide sustainable food ingredients that are decoupled from price volatility and limited resources such as cocoa. This funding will enable us to further expand into new markets, ramp up production, and deliver at scale to global confectionery giants.”
Investors’ views
Julian von Eckartsberg, Managing Director of Burda Principal Investments, said: “Our investment in Planet A Foods reflects our commitment to supporting groundbreaking solutions that address critical global challenges like sustainable food production. We are excited to support Planet A Foods in scaling their business and expanding their brand ChoViva into new markets, driving growth, and building more resilient, climate-conscious food systems and supply chains in general on a global scale.”
Christian Neuss, Partner at Zintinus added: “Planet A Foods combines scientific excellence with a clear focus on sustainability. Scaling innovations like ChoViva is a significant challenge, and we believe the right support is crucial to unlock full potential. Therefore, we are excited to support Planet A Foods with knowledge, networks and capital on their journey to becoming a market leader in sustainable food and to make a positive impact on both the environment and the food industry.”
Daria Saharova, Founding Partner at World Fund, commented: “Building world-class food tech is critical for the future of our planet. We urgently need to stop overfarming threatened natural resources like cocoa, yet scaling sustainable alternatives has proven difficult for most. Planet A Foods is an exception. Since we invested in the company in 2021, Sara and Max have established partnerships with top-tier customers including REWE, Lindt and Lufthansa, and seen their moorish ChoViva products fly off shelves. They raised one of the largest rounds in food tech this year despite a wider downturn in investment in the sector, and have delivered non-stop growth – feats that are testament to this peerless founding team.”
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