Danish Startup Summ Ingredients has Raises €1.7M to Tackles Plant-Based Food's Flavour Problem.

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• Summ Ingredients has raised €1.7M to commercialise FermiPro, a fermented protein ingredient that enhances taste, texture, and nutrition in plant-based foods

• The multifunctional ingredient, made from fava beans, oats, and salt, delivers umami and kokumi whilst enabling 30% salt reduction and doubling protein content

• Using cross-fermentation techniques, the Danish firm can produce up to six tonnes per batch at cost parity with conventional solutions

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The plant-based food industry faces a persistent challenge: creating products that truly satisfy omnivores and flexitarians. Despite years of innovation and investment, many meat and dairy alternatives still fall short on flavour and mouthfeel—two critical factors that determine whether consumers return for a second purchase.

Frederik Jensen, a veteran of fine dining with extensive experience as a culinary director and restaurateur, recognised this gap and founded what is now Summ Ingredients in 2022, anciently know as Nutrumami). His company has just secured €1.7M in funding during one of the most challenging investment periods for food technology in a decade, bringing total funding to €2M.

Fermentation Unlocks Multifunctional Benefits

Jensen's approach centres on FermiPro, a multifunctional protein ingredient created through fermentation of just three components: fava beans, oats, and salt. The ingredient addresses multiple pain points simultaneously, delivering what Jensen describes as both umami and kokumi—the Japanese concept of "rich taste" characterised by mouthfeel, thickness, and lingering sensation.

Credits: Summ Ingredients

FermiPro delivers a rich umami flavour, but also kokumi – the Japanese concept of 'mouthfulness' sensation that, combined, creates depth and complexity. This enhancement not only improves taste but also enables salt reduction without sacrificing flavour.

The ingredient's versatility extends beyond flavour enhancement. Summ Ingredients has developed non-dairy cheese prototypes enriched with FermiPro that contain double-digit protein content and 30% less fat than market standards, whilst maintaining superior taste and texture. In sauce applications, the ingredient provides protein-rich creaminess and natural umami for dairy- and starch-free formulations, allowing manufacturers to reduce salt content by 30% whilst scoring highly in sensory testing.

Ancient Methods Meet Modern Manufacturing

The company employs what it terms a cross-fermentation process, inspired by traditional wild fermentation where multiple microbes interact naturally. This controlled industrial process sees each stage build upon the previous one.

This sequential biotransformation utilises different microorganisms working in synergy, each stage building upon the modified environment and byproducts created previously. The process combines solid-state and submerged fermentation techniques before drying the biomass into a final powder ingredient.

The innovation lies not in the physical equipment but in the way different fermentation techniques, microorganisms, and process conditions are combined to unlock multifunctionality in taste, texture, and nutrition.

Credits: Summ Ingredients

Commercial Viability at Scale

With current production capacity reaching six tonnes per batch, Summ Ingredients has demonstrated cost parity or even cost reductions compared to conventional solutions. This advantage stems from FermiPro's multifunctionality, which can replace multiple single-purpose ingredients in formulations.

The ingredient typically comprises between 2.5% and 4.5% of final product formulations and integrates easily into existing manufacturing processes without requiring equipment changes. Jensen describes FermiPro as a "dry, shelf-stable ingredient that slots easily into existing processes."

The company has filed two patent applications and built a technology roadmap extending beyond FermiPro to other multifunctional ingredients, including a second product focused on sugar reduction for sweet and semi-sweet categories.

Market Ready for Launch

Operating as a pure business-to-business company, Summ Ingredients has established a pipeline across EU and UK food brands, working both directly with manufacturers and through contract partners. The company has secured its first customer orders and begun production, with consumer products containing FermiPro expected to launch later this year.

The funding from EIFO and BoxOne, joining existing investors Kost Capital and Planetary Impact Ventures, will support scaling production, commercialisation efforts, and expansion of the technology platform.

As Jensen reflects on the company's evolution from Nutrumami to Summ Ingredients: "We realised our previous name no longer reflected the real extent of our vision. We are not just launching a single ingredient—we are helping to shape an entirely new ingredient category: multifunctional ingredients that make it easier to create cleaner, healthier, and tastier foods."