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Image: Zya's Convero enzyme

Pladis, the parent company of well-known brands such as McVitie’s and Godiva, has revealed the selection of 12 start-ups for its inaugural 2025 Accelerator Programme. This initiative aims to foster early-stage companies focused on addressing critical challenges in the food industry, including sustainability, obesity and personalised nutrition.

The Accelerator Programme, which received over 300 applications from around the globe, is designed to provide selected start-ups with access to Pladis' resources and expertise in research and development, supply chain management and marketing. Among the chosen start-ups are innovative ventures that seek to transform ingredients and packaging in the food sector.

Notable participants include Nuritas, a Dublin-based company utilising artificial intelligence and genomics to develop bioactive plant peptides with potential health benefits. Fermtech is also making headlines with its cocoa alternative, created through the fermentation of food industry byproducts, which boasts a 98% lower carbon footprint compared to traditional cocoa.

The programme will also support Zya, which has developed enzymes capable of converting a significant portion of sugar into fibre post-consumption, potentially mitigating the negative health impacts of sugar without altering taste. Additionally, Just Nosh is introducing a novel snack made from water lilies, offering a unique alternative to traditional popcorn.

Pack2Earth, another participant, is focusing on sustainable packaging solutions, developing materials that can compost at ambient temperatures and are suitable for various food products. This innovation aims to reduce CO2 emissions and minimise environmental impact by addressing concerns related to toxins and microplastics in conventional packaging.

2025 Pladis Accelerator Programme start-ups

Nuritas: Based in Dublin, Nuritas uses artificial intelligence and genomics to discover and unlock precision cell-signalling peptides from natural plant sources. Their mission is to create a new category of bioactive ingredients that can improve health at a cellular level.

Biovit: Provides food companies with effective and sustainable vitamins and minerals, focusing on enhancing the nutritional profile of food products while maintaining environmental responsibility.

PulseON Foods: This start-up offers a patented, legume-based ingredient that supports digestive wellness, satiety regulation, and weight management by mimicking the metabolic pathways triggered by recent weight management medications.

Zya: Zya has developed an enzyme called Convero, which can convert up to 30% of sugar consumed into fiber in the body. This innovation aims to reduce the negative impacts of sugar without altering the taste of food.

Kyomei: Kyomei focuses on valorising crop waste, specifically green leaves, into healthy and sustainable food ingredients, enhancing resource efficiency in the food supply chain.

Supernatural Foods: This company is revolutionising snacking with a proprietary process that preserves the nutritional value of vegetables while delivering the satisfying crunch of a crisp.

Just Nosh: Just Nosh offers Water Lily Pops, a snack that combines the crunchiness of potato chips with the fluffiness of popcorn, providing a unique and healthier snacking option.

Fermtech: Fermtech creates nutritious ingredients without traditional farming methods by fermenting food industry side streams. Their Koji Cocoa can replace up to 75% of cocoa powder in recipes while significantly reducing carbon footprint.

MicroLub: MicroLub is focused on revolutionising texture in plant-based food products by developing next-generation fat replacements that enhance mouthfeel and overall product experience.

Pack2Earth: Pack2Earth is developing innovative packaging materials that can compost at ambient temperatures, suitable for long-life dry, semi-liquid, and liquid products. Their goal is to reduce CO2 emissions and protect human health from toxins and microplastics.

Shiru: Shiru utilises AI-driven discovery to unlock natural, scalable, high-performance ingredients, aiming to transform product innovation in the food industry.

Sun Bear Biofuture: This start-up is bioengineering the future of ingredients through microorganisms and precision fermentation, focusing on sustainable and efficient ingredient production.

Jennifer Moss, chief R&D officer at Pladis, emphasised the practical applications of the innovations presented by the start-ups. “This cohort has big ideas that are grounded in real science and they’re ready to be tested in the real world,” she commented.

The Accelerator Programme is powered by Yıldız Ventures, the innovation arm of Pladis’ parent company, Yıldız Holding. Each start-up will engage in an eight-week programme designed to refine their concepts and prepare for market entry, with guidance from industry experts.

Nora Khaldi, founder and CEO of Nuritas, highlighted the importance of collaboration in scaling their innovations. “The access to mentors, technical expertise and commercial insight is exactly what we need to bring our next generation of functional plant peptide ingredients to market,” she noted.

Forward Fooding, a strategic partner in the selection process, has played a crucial role in identifying trends and evaluating the applications. Co-founder Alessio D'Antino remarked on the collaborative nature of the initiative, stating that the selected companies represent breakthrough innovations aligned with pladis' mission to revolutionise snacking while addressing wellness and sustainability challenges.

As the food industry continues to evolve, the innovations emerging from the 2025 Accelerator Programme could play a pivotal role in shaping future food products and addressing pressing global issues.