Legendary Foods, a Ghanaian food startup came in second place at the just-ended FoodTech World Cup where contestants pitched their solutions to tackle challenges in the food system.
In the competition, held as part of this year’s HackSummit in Lausanne, Switzerland, nine (9) start-ups from various regions of the world pitched their solutions in the final.
Legendary Foods presented their solution which uses advanced insect agriculture to designed to deliver the nutrition of meat at affordable prices and as an alternative to plant protein, and thereby helping in the sustainability of plants.
The company presented its solution as an opportunity for expansion, while also addressing the problem of waste through their carefully designed farming processes.
Founder and CEO at Legendary Foods, Shobhita Soor, said “It’s an incredible opportunity to be runner up in the FoodTech World Cup and work with a company like Givaudan given their leadership in innovative food technology that has applications for markets all over the world.”
She said the the feat provides a lot of validation for insect protein as an alternative protein source on a global platform and demonstrates the commitment of the FoodTech community to have truly inclusive and diverse solutions.
Legendary Foods lost out to the eventual winner, Foreverland Food from Italy, which provides sustainable alternatives to unsustainable foods such as chocolate by developing a cacao-free chocolate that tastes like chocolate but is better for both people and the planet.
Co-Founder and CTO at Foreverland Food, Riccardo Bottiroli said “Becoming the FoodTech World Cup winner has been an honour for us and a strong affirmation that we are on the right track.”
He also noted that partnerships with companies like Givaudan are essential for an early-stage startup like Foreverland Food as Givaudan can provide unique insights on the food industry and support our growth.
On his part, Alexandre Bastos, Head of Front End Innovation at Givaudan said, “What a great experience! The FoodTech World Cup turned out to be beyond my expectations. The quality of the quarter and semifinals were absolutely brilliant. It created months of good traction and momentum with the FoodTech community, climaxing with the Final at the HackSummit. We are looking forward to collaborating with many of the finalists and especially with the big winner, Foreverland Food.”
