In a resounding success for the plant-based food industry, Italian startup Dreamfarm has secured a total of €5 million in investment. The company has made waves by unveiling the world's first government-certified liquid plant-based alternative to mozzarella, complete with a prestigious Nutriscore A rating.
The investment round saw notable business angels like Giampaolo Cagnin, a seasoned entrepreneur with a history of founding Italiana Ingredienti, Campus, and Hi-Food, along with Francesco Mutti, the owner and CEO of the Mutti Group, join forces to back this pioneering venture. Their extensive experience in both B2B and B2C food sectors makes them valuable allies for the startup.
Adding to the momentum, Giovanni Menozzi has recently taken the helm as the CEO of Dreamfarm, further fortifying the company's leadership.
The entire funding has been swiftly deployed to establish a cutting-edge production facility in Sala Baganza (PR), specially outfitted with state-of-the-art machinery designed to optimize a unique and patented production process. In May 2023, Dreamfarm introduced its first two products: a government-certified liquid plant-based mozzarella alternative and a delectable spreadable variant. Both offerings are the result of almond fermentation using proprietary selected cultures, showcasing the startup's commitment to innovation.
Dreamfarm's journey is guided by founders Maddalena Zanoni and Mattia Sandei. With this latest injection of capital, their primary focus will be on expanding distribution channels in Italy and beyond. Additionally, they plan to channel resources into research and development to further enhance their product portfolio while staying true to the company's core philosophy.
Giovanni Menozzi, a Parmesan native, expressed the significance of Dreamfarm's plant-based mozzarella alternative by highlighting its nutritional benefits. "Dreamfarm's alternative to mozzarella is an innovative product with less than 1% saturated fat, making it appealing to consumers increasingly conscious of sustainability and nutritional profiles, but unwilling to compromise on the goodness of a typically Italian product," he noted. "It's a dream come true to create a venture like Dreamfarm right here and have entrepreneurs of this caliber as part of our team. The sector is experiencing significant growth, and we are confident that we can make a global impact with the type of products we have and will continue to develop."
Giampaolo Cagnin, one of Dreamfarm's enthusiastic investors, emphasized the project's potential to revolutionize the sector. "We invested in the project because we believe there is a real opportunity to revolutionize the sector, thanks to significant technological innovations and an engaging and highly recognizable branding on the shelf," said Cagnin.
