Green Spot Technologies: Fermenting the future of food

Nina Granucci always knew food would be her future. As a child growing up in Brazil, she grew and sold vegetables to her sisters. As a PhD student in biotechnology, she became captivated by fermentation: nature’s original upcycler, given all the tasty foods it contributes to. But it was the shocking scale of global food waste that sparked a mission. Nina set out to transform nutrient-rich by-products like apple pulp and grape skins, apple pomace (from breweries, wineries, beverage companies, etc) into high-value, gut friendly food ingredients.

Today, Green Spot Technologies operates out of France – a nation with a proud tradition of fermentation thanks to its world-famous cheese and wine – and is turning waste into opportunity, one powder at a time. Their pioneering process is efficient, circular and rooted in science, but the goal is simple: to make the most of what we already have.

Global food waste is a paradox. Roughly 1/3 of food produced globally is lost or wasted, a crisis that contributes to 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions (1). Yet climate change and hunger caused by climate-induced crop failures affect huge numbers of people around the world. When food is wasted, we not only lose it, but we lose all of the resources that went into creating it.

Much of what is discarded still holds nutritional value. Fruit pomace, cereal bran, and vegetable pulp often end up as landfill despite being rich in fibre, micronutrients, and prebiotics. Green Spot Technologies set out to prove that these byproducts could be rescued and transformed into nutritious, versatile ingredients, with minimal processing and maximum flavour.

Green Spot Technologies has built a fermentation platform that transforms food side streams into high-value nutrient-rich ingredients, tackling waste at an industrial scale. In just three years, they've already saved approximately 39,000 tonnes of food waste from landfill, achieved an impressive social return on investment of €1.75 for every €1 invested, and are on track to reduce 730,000 tons of CO2 emissions by 2030 (2).

The circular ingredients are already being used as cocoa alternatives, in bread, flours and sauce texturisers, driving change across the food sector. Green Spot Technologies epitomises sustainability, with an impact diligence score of 6.93 (out of 10), indicating strong alignment between its stated priorities and implemented practices. Among their many accolades, they are the winners of the Kraft Heinz Co. Innovation Challenge, Tetra Pak selection day and the Affordable Nutrition Scale-Up Challenge organised by EIT Food and Blendhub. In 2024, they were a finalist for the Earthshot Prize, proving that their vision for a waste-free future has both commercial momentum and global relevance (3).

The environmental case is clear: by intercepting food waste at the source and converting it into valuable ingredients, Green Spot Technologies is dramatically reducing emissions, land use and resource waste. But the social impact is equally compelling. Their ingredients help food companies create healthier, more sustainable products without reinventing their supply chains.

Circular by design, their model helps restore trust in food manufacturing by using natural, recognisable processes. And by working closely with small producers, vineyards, and manufacturers, they support the local economy and prove that innovation can be both high-tech and deeply human.

As a member of the EIT Food Accelerator Network (FAN) and RisingFoodStars entrepreneurship programmes, Green Spot Technologies benefited early from the EIT Food ecosystem of mentors, corporate partners and investors, laying the groundwork for solid commercial traction.

EIT Food’s €500,000 equity investment in 2024 produced vital funds to scale up, expand demo plant capacity to 600 tonnes per year, and prepare for Series A funding. Beyond funding, EIT Food’s support helped sharpen Green Spot Technologies’ market strategy, strengthen cross-sector collaborations, and open doors to new opportunities such as the Affordable Nutrition Scale-Up Challenge. This strategic backing has not only amplified their visibility in Europe's agrifood ecosystem but also positioned them as an authoritative voice in global circular bioeconomy conversations (3)(4).

With global demand for upcycled and functional ingredients on the rise, the potential to scale is enormous. Green Spot Technologies’ fermentation platform can be replicated across regions and food sectors, transforming by-products into high-value ingredients wherever food is processed.

To reach the next level, they need strategic investment to expand industrial capacity, regulatory support to fast-track novel ingredients, and food industry partners ready to embrace circularity at scale.

With continued collaboration and bold policy backing, Green Spot Technologies can help reshape the global food system, one upcycled apple skin at a time.

1. UN. (2024). Food loss and waste account for 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions; cost USD 1 trillion annually
2. EIT Food. RisingFoodStars. Date accessed July 2025
3. EIT Food. (2023). EIT Food announces new investments into agrifood startups innovating upcycled ingredients and alternative protein solutions
4. Green Spot Technologies. (2025). LinkedIn