The Sweet Idea that Sparked a Sustainable Plant-based Revolution, into a Novel Food Application and Global Expansion in 2022
Rotterdam, the Netherlands, April 15, 2022, | Fooditive, a pioneer in developing plant-based ingredients, is gearing up for a game-changer in the industry: a Novel Food license from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for its sweetener and expanding its product to New Zealand, Australia, and The American market. The Dutch company has developed from a concept to a company worth of 26 million euros in 2022 and is making significant progress. Founded on the belief that sustainability is more than a trend, Fooditive provides innovative and natural ingredients to food and beverage manufacturers.
The company's unique process allows them to develop a remarkable sweetener, made from side streams of apples and pears. The production process has been enhanced and evolved from batch to continuous fermentation, to be able to deliver on the high demand from the food industry by producing up to 30 tonnes of sweetener per week. For this purpose, 83 tonnes of apples and pears are being upcycled, raw material that is considered as side streams, third grade by juice manufacturers or simply the "ugly fruit".
The sweetener - the first of Fooditive’s innovative products - sparked a sugar-free, plant-based revolution. The company hopes to make a ground-breaking step towards establishing the sweetener in the market by forming a successful collaboration with a production partner in the Netherlands.
Fooditive has already been offering the sweetener for research and development purposes to players in the food industry to show their sweetener functionalities that are smiler to sugar. After three years’ worth of learning and development, feedback, and support from the food industry, the company will submit the sweetener as 5-D-Keto-Fructose in applying for Novel Food certification from the European Food Safety Authority and working with their partners in expanding the worldwide market by licensing the process for New Zealand, Australia and the US.
Following the recent study by ReportLinker, Fooditive is the only start-up and Dutch company that is considered as one of the global competitors for food sweeteners in the industry competing alongside with several of the leading ingredient market vendors. Fooditive proudly provides an innovative sweetener to companies, for different product applications where it can deliver not only the sweet taste but also the functions of sugar.
The sweetener is developed from the extraction of fructose through fermentation and its conversion to 5-D-Keto-Fructose through bio-refining techniques. Fooditive has accomplished this through its innovative approach to offering solutions by valorizing side-streams and starting from different raw materials, including cherries and bananas, to transform them into valuable, healthy ingredients.
The Fooditive team is aware that the road ahead will be long and challenging. However, they know that completing its goal of securing EFSA approval for such a unique ingredient comes with a slew of benefits. Investors, venture capitalists, food attorneys, and consultants are invited to join the company’s journey in this effort to deliver this meaningful change to the market that is built on sweetener that is not only healthier but sustainable journey.
Melissa van der Walt
Business and Communication Manager - info@fooditive.nl
About Fooditive:
In 2018, the plant-based ingredient manufacturer Fooditive was established in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The Dutch company with its 100% natural ingredients is committed to making healthy food affordable for all. With the latest innovation including DNA sequences, Fooditive developed the world's first industrial scale plant-based casein. Since its launch, Fooditive has received several awards for its innovative ideas, sustainable approaches, and contributions to a circular economy, including being nominated for the Index Award 2021.
The idea behind Fooditive was founded by the Jordanian food pioneer and entrepreneur, Moayad Abushokhedim, at the age of 17. The innovative Fooditive sweetener was developed after 11 years of research in finding a sweetener that can provide the functions and taste of sugar, and that is good for people and the planet.
