VlyFoods is a technology company.
VlyFoods has raised $3.0M across 2 funding rounds.
VlyFoods has raised $3.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
VlyFoods (vly) is a Berlin-based FoodTech startup founded in 2018 that develops and markets plant-based dairy alternatives, primarily milk made from yellow split peas.[2][1][6] The company serves health-conscious consumers seeking nutritious, everyday dairy substitutes, solving the problem of unhealthy supermarket foods by creating high-protein (50% more than cow's milk), low-sugar, carb-free, and saturated fat-free products designed by nutritionists and food scientists.[1][3][5] With rapid early growth—selling over 1 million liters of milk alternative and scaling to more than 5,000 points of sale (POS) within the first year of trading—vly demonstrates strong momentum in the plant-based protein market, backed by $7.5M in funding from investors like Good Seed Ventures, Global Founders Capital, and Five Seasons Ventures.[1][6][2]
VlyFoods was founded in 2018 in Berlin, Germany, by a team including nutritionist Nicolas Hartmann, Niklas Katter (ex-lawyer and McKinsey consultant with sales expertise), and Moritz (likely a chef or scientist, as the team comprises a nutritionist, scientist, and management consultant).[2][3][6] The idea emerged from a "tremendous discovery journey" in a university lab, where the founders researched plant proteins to accelerate the shift from animal to plant-based options for human health, planetary sustainability, and animal welfare.[3][2] Early traction came quickly: after prototyping quark, they pivoted to upstream milk due to co-packer minimum order quantities (MOQs), launching VLY milk as the world's first with superior macronutrients to dairy; within less than a year, they hit 1M+ liters sold and 5,000+ POS.[1][3]
VlyFoods rides the global surge in plant-based proteins and dairy alternatives, fueled by rising demand for sustainable, health-focused foods amid climate concerns in Food, Agriculture & Land Use, and Protein Alternatives sectors.[1][2][7] Timing is ideal: post-2018 founding aligns with explosive growth in FoodTech (e.g., competitors like Ripple Foods, Eclipse Foods), driven by consumer shifts toward low-impact diets, veganism, and nutrition amid dairy's environmental toll.[4] Market forces like EU sustainability regulations and investor interest in climate solutions (e.g., $7.5M funding) favor vly, as it outperforms dairy on macros while expanding Europe's plant-rich diets—potentially influencing ecosystems by innovating quark, yogurt, and to-go drinks next.[3][1]
VlyFoods is poised for European dominance in high-protein plant dairy, with plans to sign co-packers, launch quark/yogurt lines, hire for marketing, and expand geographically—targeting high-dairy markets like China, India, and the US.[3] Trends like accelerating plant-protein adoption, regulatory pushes for sustainable food, and FoodTech funding will propel growth, evolving vly from Berlin innovator to everyday staple creator. Watch for scaled production and broader dairy category disruption, building on their health-first traction to redefine thriving nutrition.
VlyFoods has raised $3.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
VlyFoods has raised $3.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in June 2019.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2019 | $2.0M Seed | ||
| Apr 1, 2019 | $1.0M Seed |