Bolder Foods, a Belgian company using biomass fermentation to produce plant-based cheese alternatives, has showcased its new cheese prototypes to investors and entrepreneurs at an event hosted by Givaudan.
The cheeses are made with Bolder Foods’ new MycoVeg technology, which blends fungal biomass with fermented vegetables. Tasters praised the creaminess of the products, describing them as “impressive” and “a very promising use of mycoprotein“.
According to the company, the fungi used for MycoVeg is more hydrophilic than other mycoproteins, meaning it is highly water-binding and provides a very creamy texture. The news comes after Bolder Foods was named a semi-finalist in the 2024 FoodTech World Cup, which is sponsored by Givaudan.
Bolder Foods co-founder and CEO Ilana Taub was also recently named an F&A Next Hero of Food & Agtech, in recognition of the company’s potential to become a “true game-changer in the world of food and agriculture”. The company was invited to pitch on the main stage at F&A Next on May 22-23, and also gave a product demo. One taster reportedly said the product was “one of the best cheese alternatives I’ve tasted so far”, and the company saw interest from investors and potential partners.
“Our mission is critical”
Bolder Foods first unveiled MycoVeg in January, claiming that the ingredient could deliver umami flavours, excellent functional properties, and nutritional benefits. MycoVeg is said to be fibre-rich, a complete protein, and lower in sugar and fat than dairy milk.
Shortly afterward, Bolder Foods announced that its first corporate trial was up and running, with more in the pipeline. The company also recently revealed that it is raising funds, with Taub taking to LinkedIn to counter the idea that this is “the worst possible time to fundraise in food tech”.
“Yes, the world is indeed a scary place right now — inflation, instability in the Middle East, Ukraine… the uncertainties are endless. But isn’t this precisely why our mission in food and climate tech is so critical?” she said. “We’re not just here to build businesses; we’re here to contribute to saving the planet before it’s too late. The clock is ticking. Worst timing? I say: perfect timing!”
