MATR Foods: blending biotech and tradition
MATR Foods harnesses the transformative power of fungi to turn wholesome, local ingredients into versatile, flavourful proteins. Their plant-based products offer chefs and home cooks a way to enjoy meat-like meals that are good for people and the planet.
Danish startup MATR is redefining plant-based food by using the ancient art of fungi fermentation to transform a blend of Nordic organic vegetables, legumes, and grains into delicious and healthy products. Behind the innovations is a team combining three essential ingredients: food scientists, acclaimed chefs from the Copenhagen scene, and experts in building international consumer brands. The final products are fresh, tasty and simple, which has raised interest from investors.
Next gen of sustainable, healthy protein
Globally, meat consumption is increasing. On current trends, demand for livestock products will grow 70% by 2050. [1] Environmentally, the problem is that producing animal proteins – especially beef and lamb – requires vast amounts of land, water, and feed, while also producing significant greenhouse gas emissions. [2]
Bucking the global trend, 51% European consumers say they have reduced their annual meat intake, and data suggests there is a shift across Europe towards more plant-based eating. [3,4] As well as environmental motives, there are also health reasons why consumers are looking to diversify the protein they eat. [5]
To meet this rising demand, startups are developing a new generation of plant-based products.
Harnessing the power of fungi
Founded in 2021 in Copenhagen, Danish food-tech startup MATR Foods blends fresh local food with cutting-edge biotechnology, refining an age-old technique: fermentation with fungi. By pairing this method with a modern, clean recipe, they create tasty, versatile, and healthy whole food that can replace meat on the plate.
MATR uses just five natural ingredients – potatoes, oats, beets, split peas, and lupins – which provide an excellent source of plant-based protein and fibre. These ingredients are then transformed into meat-like tastes and textures by mycelium, a root-like structure of fungus (in contrast with other startups who use mycelium as the primary ingredient in the final products).
MATR’s portfolio includes burger patties, mince, and versatile blocks suitable for stews, stir-fries, and curries. The company supplies restaurant chains in Denmark, Germany, and the UK, as well as a Danish online supermarket.
Making meals MATR for people and the planet
MATR’s innovation is designed to deliver measurable environmental and social benefits. Independent assessments show that MATR products have a carbon footprint of around 1.6 kg CO₂e per kilogram – approximately 95% lower than the footprint of average beef. Once up and running in late 2026, the company’s new production facility in Ansager, Denmark, is expected to cut more than 100,000 tonnes of CO₂ from European meals each year, demonstrating the potential of fungi fermentation to contribute to Europe’s climate goals.
All MATR products are made from organic ingredients, ensuring they do not contribute to soil degradation, water toxicity, or pesticide use during cultivation. The fermentation process brings the added value of extending shelf life, helping to reduce food waste while delivering healthy, sustainable proteins. MATR now employs 35 staff, and this is expected to expand significantly once the new factory opens.
Building commercial muscles with EIT Food
Since 2024, MATR Foods has been part of EIT Food’s RisingFoodStars (RFS) entrepreneurship programme, which identifies Europe’s most promising agrifood and foodtech scale-ups and helps boost their chances of long-term business success.
MATR first joined the investment track, where the programme supported them in their efforts to raise funds and strengthen their financial position. "[The track] was a great opportunity to learn how VCs are thinking and how you as a start up position yourself best to secure VC funding," says Rasmus Elm, MATR's Business Development Director. "This has been a great learning experience and helped us navigate the many dialogues with investors we have had in raising our current fund raising round."
MATR has secured a €20 million loan from the European Investment Bank to expand production, supporting a scale-up to over 3,000 tonnes annually. This investment complements other financing from the BioInnovation Institute and Novo Holdings, among others.
In 2025, MATR is engaged in the RFS commercialisation track, which is focused on helping them build their commercial capabilities and expand market opportunities. Elm notes that this EIT Food programme is helping his team to structure to its commercialisation process, as they prepare for the launch of the new production facility.
“RisingFoodStars has been a valuable support for MATR Foods in building a European community of like-minded startups in the food system. Building those connections and sharing learnings with other startups is invaluable as we face many of the same challenges as our cohort of startup members. Thus, we can take shortcuts by learning from each other. RFS has also provided us with valuable opportunities to participate in investor and food conferences. However, the most valuable part has been participating in the different tracks RFS is offering.“
Top 3 lessons learned for launching new protein products:
1. Taste is king
It doesn't matter how virtuous your product is, consumers will only keep buying food that tastes good
2. It takes a LOT of hard work to keep things simple
Companies use additives and chemical preservatives for a reason – often to make cheap, palatable products that can sit on shelves for months, but lack nutritional value. To create healthier products with unique flavours, it can take a lot of trial and error using fresh ingredients and natural processes. When it works, the results can be special!
3. Magic happens when diverse experts join forces
MATR brings together universities, chefs from the Copenhagen gastronomic scene, and people who understand how to build international consumer brands.
Paving the way to industrial scale
MATR is already on a pathway to scaling, backed by its EIB loan and growing interest from private investors. But Europe needs to think bigger: if we are to truly transform our food system, these innovations must be produced at an industrial scale. Worldwide, the potential impact is huge. Research shows that if 50% of pork, chicken, beef, and milk were substituted globally by 2050, agriculture and land-use greenhouse gas emissions would fall by nearly a third, while the loss of forests and natural land would be almost fully halted. [7]
To accelerate this transition to more diverse protein, companies can play their part by putting more options on workplace menus. Governments can help by setting clear plant-based food targets in public institutions, or via tax mechanisms that incentivise healthy plant-based products. And consumers and chefs can pave the way by embracing fungi-fermented foods in their favourite recipes. For more, see the EIT Food Policy Brief ‘Accelerating Protein Diversification for Europe’. [8]
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References
- FAO: Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock. Date accessed 8 September 2025
- Our World in Data: Environmental Impacts of Food Production. Date accessed 8 September 2025
- Smart Protein Project: Evolving appetites: an in-depth look at European attitudes towards plant-based eating. (2023)
- EIT Food Consumer Observatory: Eating fewer animal products: Which policy ideas are acceptable to consumers? (2023)
- EIT Food: Healthier Lives through Food Insight Report. (2023)
- GFI/PAN: Where does plant-based meat fit in the ultra-processed foods conversation? (2025)
- Nature Communications: Feeding climate and biodiversity goals with novel plant-based meat and milk alternatives. (2023)
- EIT Food: Accelerating Protein Diversification for Europe. (2023)
