Burda Principal Investments co-leads $30M Series B of Planet A Foods
We at Burda Principal Investments (BPI) are thrilled to announce our co-lead in the $30 million Series B funding round of Planet A Foods. As an innovative food-tech company, Planet A Foods is reshaping the chocolate industry with their brand ChoViva, producing a revolutionary cocoa-free alternative. This investment will enable Planet A Foods to scale its operations globally, providing sustainable solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in the global food industry, including supply chain volatility, environmental concerns, and rising prices.
“Planet A Foods perfectly matches our thesis for innovative materials where we invest into companies that leverage modern technology and produce certain materials with the same quality and specifications, but in an innovative, sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Other examples in our portfolio include Uluu and Stegra”, says Christian Teichmann, CEO of BPI.
“With ChoViva, Planet A Foods is leading the way in sustainable chocolate production, and we’re proud to support their mission to transform the food ingredient industry. Consumers increasingly seek sustainable options without compromising on taste, quality, or price, and Planet A Foods is well-positioned to meet this demand. As someone with a background in foodtech it has also been a great opportunity to leverage my experience and passion for this exciting space,” shared BPI’s investment principal Luisa Düsberg.
Pioneering a sustainable future for chocolate
Based in Munich, Germany, Planet A Foods is building a scalable flavour and lipid tech platform that promises to reshape the future of food ingredients. By decoupling food production from limited resources and exploitation, the company addresses critical environmental concerns while driving its vision to save 500 million tons of CO2 annually, starting with chocolate as its first vertical. For their flagship brand ChoViva, Planet A Foods leverages advanced fermentation technology to create a cocoa-free chocolate alternative made from sunflower seeds. This innovation delivers the same rich taste and smooth texture of traditional chocolate while reducing carbon emissions by up to 80%. With its cost-effective and scalable model, ChoViva addresses key issues of the $130 billion chocolate market such as deforestation, child labour, and the volatile cocoa supply chain, offering confectionery giants a sustainable and reliable alternative ingredient at a lower cost. Backed by partnerships with global brands like Lindt and Lufthansa, Planet A Foods is already making a tangible impact, with products featuring ChoViva available in over 20 confectionery items across Europe.
Alongside Burda Principal Investments, co-lead Zintinus, as well as World Fund, Cherry Ventures, Omnes Capital, Bayern Kapital, Tengelmann Ventures, and BayWa Ventures are participating in this funding round. This diverse group of investors contributes extensive experience across food-tech, sustainability, and growth-focused industries to support Planet A Foods strengthen its market leadership position by scaling its operations, expanding into new markets, and building out new and existing partnerships.
A shared vision for global impact
“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.”
Julian von Eckartsberg, Managing Director Europe, BPI
“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 player reshaping the sustainable food industry. Our mission remains unchanged: to provide sustainable food ingredients that are decoupled from limited and price volatile resources such as cocoa. This funding will enable us to further expand into new markets, ramp up production, invest into new product segments and deliver at scale to global confectionery giants.”
Dr. Maximilian Marquart, CEO and co-founder of Planet A Foods
Looking Ahead
This latest funding round positions Planet A Foods to drive global expansion, enhance its manufacturing capacity, and push the boundaries of innovation within the sustainable food sector. The new investment will enable the company to scale production from 2,000 to over 15,000 tons annually, ensuring the capacity to meet surging demand while maintaining exceptional quality. Early 2025 will mark the expansion into key new markets, including the UK and France, further solidifying the company’s position as a leading pioneer in sustainable food innovation. BPI is proud to support this innovative journey, supporting Planet A Foods to deliver impactful, sustainable solutions for the food industry on a global scale.
Read more about Planet A Foods here.
