February 14, 2023

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

Israeli startup Meala FoodTech announced it has secured $1.9 million in Pre-Seed investments led by The Kitchen FoodTech Hub, a part of the Strauss-Group, and DSM Venturing, the corporate venture arm of the Royal DSM. The round also saw participation from Milk & Honey Ventures. 

This investment marks the third in the Israeli foodtech ecosystem for DSM Venturing in 2022.

Not even two years old, Meala FoodTech was founded in 2021 by product innovator Hadar Ekhoiz Razmovich, entrepreneur and strategist Tali Feldman Sivan, PhD, and CIO, and culinary chef Liran Gruda. 

Together the three partners united under a mission to bridge the gap between processed vegan products currently on the market and the pervasive perception that plant-based products are better for you by breaking down the barriers between meat and meat analogs. 

To do this, Meala is working to revolutionize the plant-based protein sector by developing new ingredients and processes that would result in cleaner better-for-you products. 

The company explained that despite the plant-based category continuing to gain momentum, alternative protein food formulations are still struggling to match the mouthfeel of traditional counterparts, and often (such as in the case of veggie burgers and sausages) are made from a long list of ingredients, including some with complex chemical names that are unfamiliar to consumers. 

Meala’s proprietary platform creates functional proteins with superior water retention capabilities designed to be used as gelling and binding agents, resulting in a vast improvement to the texture of meat alternatives, enabling them to better match the sensory properties of animal meat. 

The company utilizes a versatile range of plant proteins that can be easily integrated into production through existing manufacturing lines to ultimately produce plant-based alternatives with a short, recognizable, list of “home kitchen” ingredients that deliver the same full-bodied flavor and texture of real meat.

The startup stated that by Incorporating these functional proteins into alternative protein food formulations, the resulting meat analogs would have better nutritional value and functional properties using a short list of ingredients. 

“It is exciting to support Meala on this important mission to improve plant-based foods, making them tastier, more nutritious, and with readily recognizable ingredients,” said Jonathan Berger, CEO,  The Kitchen FoodTech Hub. 

“This is another milestone in our quest to nourish a better tomorrow, and we are honored to have a leading entity such as DSM Venturing co-invest with us in such a promising company.”

Meala FoodTech stated it will initially use this funding to continue in the development of its platform technology and to accelerate from the lab to the pilot stage, adding that its core technology currently enables the development of functional proteins for multiple meat replacements including burgers, sausages, and nuggets, and with egg and fish alternatives in development. 

“This investment will enable us to accelerate our growth and support plant-based producers in their mission to reach new consumer segments,” said Dr. Tali Feldman Sivan, PhD, co-founder, Meala. 

“We have already initiated collaborations with leading plant-based CPG manufacturers to implement Meala’s solution in their products. We are on track to launch products in the U.S. and European markets in 2024.”

~ Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor in chief with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, as well as HighQuest Group’s Unconventional Ag. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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