Three food startups each win €50,000 in growth capital
Investors select the startups with the strongest growth potential during the Food Pioneers Pitch Event
Kokumi by Ivana Mik, Weijnschenk by Tim Weijnschenk and Eese by Frederique Lemoine each won €50,000 in growth capital during the Food Pioneers Pitch Event. Investors attending the event determined which food startups they believe have the strongest growth potential. The growth capital will help the winners accelerate their next step, for example in production, market introduction or commercial growth. Kokumi had even more reason to celebrate, taking home a total of three prizes.
From inspiring pitches to new opportunities
The Pitch Event marked the conclusion of the Food Pioneers Program 2026. The 16 food startups pitched their products, market positions and growth ambitions to investors, buyers and other professionals from the food sector.
Nicole Horsmans (co-founder of SOOF Drinks) and Daan Schapendonk (co-founder of Fruitfunk) also shared their entrepreneurial experiences. They offered insights into brand development, growth and the challenges of securing and maintaining a place on supermarket shelves.
The day concluded with a Tasting Market, where visitors could sample products and speak directly with the entrepreneurs.
More prizes and new opportunities
In addition to the growth capital, several additional prizes were awarded by partners SOL (Chris van Bokkum), Broccoli (Wouter Hagoort), Kitchen Republic (Bart-Jan Veldhuizen) and panel members Bidfood (Joris Dijkstra) and JOIN Program (Tamara van der Leek):
Leah’s Brood receives a €5,000 coaching budget from SOL;
Chardy’s from Almere & Kokumi receive a membership of the Kitchen Republic community;
Mati & Fil Foods receive a listing at Bidfood;
Kokumi wins Get Your Ingredient on the Menu from JOIN Program.
But the value of the event goes beyond the prizes alone. During the pitches and Tasting Market, new connections and matches were made with investors, buyers and other organisations from the food sector.
An extra boost for growth
Food Pioneers helps food startups grow through knowledge, coaching, networks and access to the market.
Thera van Heuveln, Program Lead at Food Pioneers:
“The bar was higher than ever this year. We received more applications, saw strong food startups and further strengthened the programme. By adding growth capital this year, we are providing an extra boost. The participants have worked incredibly hard, and this gives the winners more power to take their next step.”
Investors are also actively connected with food startups. Through Broccoli’s sharefunding platform, they can discover new food concepts and ambitious entrepreneurs at an early stage and explore potential investment opportunities.
The Food Pioneers Program is made possible by partners SOL, Broccoli, Kitchen Republic, Horizon and Enreach.
New edition of the Food Pioneers Program in 2027
A new edition of the Food Pioneers Program will start in 2027. Interested food startups can already register to be among the first to hear when applications open.
