Start-up Pitches Day 1

Innovative and smart product ideas from international start-ups live on stage.

ahead GmbH, Germany | 2:30 - 2:36 p.m.

• ahead makes damn tasty in healthy. They help people to live healthily without having to sacrifice flavour. From now on, snacks and sugar no longer belong together. With their products, you can snack without remorse and have a variety to choose from, ranging from low sugar chocobars and low sugar nutbars to low sugar and high protein crispies. 

Better Place, Netherlands | 2:36 - 2:42 p.m.

• Better Place is redefining sustainability with products that are eco-friendly, health-conscious, and innovative. Their journey began with Better Gum, a plastic-free, sugar-free, vegan gum. In early 2024, they'll launch Better Mints, and in Q2, Better Chocolate, both following the ethos of no added sugar, vegan, aspartame-free, and plastic-free packaging. Their challenge as a start-up is to create products that truly embody these characteristics. Join Better Place in revolutionizing each category they enter, one sustainable product at a time.

Brain Foods / Novel Plant Foods, Bulgaria | 2:42 - 2:48 p.m.

• Brain Foods Snacks specializes in pioneering healthy snacking. Their lineup includes Wafers, Flapjacks, and Oat Bites, all no-sugar-added, vegan, and gluten-free, with the taste of milk chocolate. This unique blend sets them apart, catering to the rising demand for healthier snacks. Recognized by ProVeg International for aligning with their plant-based mission, Brain Foods' snacks meet diverse dietary needs without compromising on taste. Their success in various markets attests to the appeal of their high-quality, convenient snacks. Brain Foods Snacks promises a guilt-free, delectable snacking experience, combining health, convenience, and outstanding flavor. Join them in guilt-free indulgence and sustainable snacking.

Forest Gum, Germany | 2:48 - 2:54 p.m.

• DO GOOD. CHEW GOOD. That's the mission of the Cologne-based start-up Forest Gum. With plastic-free products, they show that you can make your everyday life more sustainable. With chewing gum, for example. In contrast to conventional products, their gums contain Chicle as the gum base. This makes them 100% plastic-free, sugar-free and vegan. Starting in February, Forest Gum will be delivering THE innovation on the fruit gum shelf. Their super tasty gummies not only contain 20% fruit juice and are 100% vegan - the packaging is fully compostable, making them the first sustainable alternative on the shelf! With the purchase of every Forest Gum product, you also support the forest conservation project Wildwuchs.

WLGourmet Trading GmbH, Germany | 2:54 - 3:00 p.m.

• In search of healthy snack alternatives for our children we founded our company WE LOVE GOURMET. Healthy snacks - no added sugar no preservatives Gluten-free and vegan. Large selection of freeze-dried fruits. Gourmet? Yes. Gourmet can also be healthy.

Häppy Candy, Germany & the US | 3:00 - 3:06 p.m.

• Häppy Candy is a female founded food start-up in Berlin and New York providing innovative candy, which is vegan, contains nearly half the amount of sugar than regular candy and tastes delicious. They added a little bit of prebiotic fiber, which prevents glucose spikes, keeps you fuller for longer and is good for your microbiome health. Häppy Candy comes with 20% less calories and 45% less sugar and we do not use any sweeteners or sugar alcohols, we simply use less sugar. Häppy Candy only uses natural colors and flavors and we manufacture in Germany at the highest quality standards.

Hülsenreich, Germany | 3:06 - 3:12 p.m.

• Hülsenreich is a manufacturer and marketer of innovative chickpea snacks. At the core of these delicious products are crisply roasted chickpeas sourced from the company's own legume roastery. Hülsenreich not only offers tasty snack alternatives but also demonstrates the delightful taste and versatile applications of legumes. The company advocates for agricultural diversity and supports a plant-based diet, emphasizing its commitment to promoting variety in both fields and plates.

Lilalou biscuits, Belgium | 3:12 - 3:18 p.m.

• LilaLou is a Belgian company that produces delicious oat & cereal biscuits, made from 100% natural and organic ingredients. These ceral biscuits are a responsabele and balanced snack that meets the nutritional standards of a good biscuit. Since Evelien Coppens, the founder did not find nutritious biscuits for her children, she developed them as a better alternative on the shelf. Using all natural ingredients such as whole grain cereals, LilaLou is a perfect snack for young & old. LilaLou biscuits contain up to 50% less sugar, are vegan and lactose-free and are a safe and tasty option for those with food allergies or sensitivities.

QISU Cheese Snacks, Spain & Germany |  3:18 - 3:24 p.m.

• QISU is a family-owned business (father and son) that appreciates crispy snacks and has a love for cheese. Their journey began in 2022 with the aim of leveraging their extensive knowledge of various dehydration technologies to develop a new product that truly surprises their customers, brings a smile to their faces, and enhances their joy of life. When they tested the first prototype, they were thrilled to experience the overwhelming effect they had been seeking. Shortly thereafter, QISU was founded with the vision of becoming an exceptional snack company known for its healthy and delicious products made exclusively from natural ingredients and employing sustainable practices.

The Nutty Farmer, Belgium | 3:24 - 3:30 p.m.

• The Nutty Farmer was founded in October 2021 to raise concerns about the cashew industry! The problems are similar to the ones in the cocoa industry: child labour, unsafe work conditions, extreme poverty, etc. In order to raise concerns and to make impact, they need money off course! Where do they get the money from? Well, with the fairtrade cashew nuts from their agricultural cooperative in Burkina Faso they make honest and delicious food products, which are sold in retail chains and grocery shops. A part of their revenue is reinvested into the farming community. They have recently started their first project, in which they are building a water tower.