© Edonia
Edonia, a French startup creating plant-based meat alternatives from microalgae has successfully raised €2 million in funding, led by Asterion Ventures.
Aiming to bring their innovative meat alternatives to the mainstream market, Edonia seeks to provide consumers with a sustainable protein option, with their products boasting CO2 emissions 40 times lower than its true meat counterpart, and 3 times lower than soy product equivalents.
The potential of microalgae as a nutrient dense food source for humans continues to grow as the search for environmentally responsible food solutions goes on. Some microalgae species can be cultured in wastewater from other food sectors, such as finfish aquaculture, therefore adding value to the supply chain in addition to providing sustainable protein.
Strategically, in the creation of their products, Edonia uses micro-algae which are already authorised for use within the EU, such as spirulina and chlorella, therefore expediting the commercialisation process.
In a press release from the company, Hugo Valentin, chief executive of Edonia, emphasises that he wants to make a difference by providing an environmentally responsible protein source whilst also maintaining a high quality, flavoursome product that consumers will actively enjoy.
“Microalgae, known for their nutritional and ecological virtues, can be a real tool for food industry professionals in this respect. But it has to taste good! That's what we're offering: delicious protein ingredients that are hyper-nutritious, and with very little processing or pollutants,” he said.
“At a time of climate emergency, when 34 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are generated by our food, the greening of our plates needs to accelerate,” he added.
