# Planet A Foods **Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/planet-a-foods **Vertical:** Food & Beverage **Subcategory:** Food & Beverage **Tier:** Challenger **Website:** planet-a-foods.com **Last Updated:** 2026-04-14 ## Summary Munich YC cocoa-free ChoViva chocolate (sunflower+oats, 80% less CO2) in 42,000+ EU stores; $74.2M total ($30M Series B Dec 2024 Burda/Zintinus) with Barry Callebaut partnership Nov 2025 competing with Voyage Foods for cocoa supply chain disruption. ## Company Overview Planet A Foods is a Munich, Germany-based food technology company — backed by Y Combinator with $74.2 million in total funding including a $30 million Series B in December 2024 co-led by Burda Principal Investments and Zintinus, and a $15.4 million Series A in February 2024, with investors including World Fund, Bayern Kapital, Cherry Ventures, Tengelmann Ventures, BayWa Venture, and Omnes Capital — providing chocolate manufacturers and food brands with ChoViva: the world's first commercially available cocoa-free chocolate alternative made from locally sourced sunflower seeds and oats through a proprietary fermentation process that delivers authentic chocolate taste while reducing carbon footprint by up to 80% versus conventional cocoa-based chocolate. Available in 42,000+ European retail stores and expanding to UK, France, and the US, Planet A Foods announced a landmark partnership with Barry Callebaut (world's largest chocolate manufacturer) in November 2025 for global commercialization. Founded in 2021, producing 2,000+ tons/year and targeting 15,000+ tons post-Series B. Planet A Foods' cocoa-free chocolate platform addresses the structural sustainability crisis of the global cocoa supply chain: 70%+ of the world's cocoa is grown in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana by smallholder farmers in a supply chain that drives deforestation (3.1 million hectares of forest lost in West Africa to cocoa cultivation), has documented child labor issues, and has experienced a 100%+ price spike since 2023 as disease (cacao swollen shoot virus) and climate change reduced harvests — making cocoa a critical supply chain risk for food manufacturers. Planet A Foods' fermentation-derived sunflower seed and oat alternative (replicating the roasted, bitter, fatty flavor profile of cocoa through microbial fermentation without the chocolate-specific cocoa chemistry) provides food manufacturers a cocoa-independent chocolate ingredient that hedges supply chain concentration risk while meeting consumer and retailer sustainability commitments. In 2025, Planet A Foods competes in the alternative chocolate ingredients, cocoa-free confectionery, and sustainable food ingredients market with WildChoc (cocoa-free chocolate, Europe), Voyage Foods (cocoa-free chocolate spread, $40M raised), and Cargill (NYSE: CAG subsidiary, cocoa processing and sustainability programs) for chocolate manufacturer ingredient sourcing diversification and sustainable confectionery retailer platform adoption. The Barry Callebaut partnership (announced November 2025) is transformative: as the B2B manufacturer producing 2.2 million tons of chocolate products annually for Nestlé, Mondelez, and other major brands, Barry Callebaut's distribution of ChoViva ingredients provides instant access to the global chocolate manufacturing supply chain. The 2025 strategy focuses on scaling production to 15,000+ tons to meet Barry Callebaut demand, expanding the ingredient formulation portfolio for milk chocolate and white chocolate analogs, and building the US production facility for North American retail expansion. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Planet A Foods? Planet A Foods is a Munich-based food technology company that creates ChoViva, the world's leading cocoa-free chocolate alternative. Using fermentation technology with sunflower seeds and oats, the company produces chocolate-like products with up to 80% less carbon footprint. ### What is ChoViva? ChoViva is Planet A Foods' cocoa-free chocolate alternative made from sunflower seeds and oats. The product undergoes fermentation similar to cocoa processing, creating authentic chocolate taste without the environmental impact of cocoa farming. ### Who are Planet A Foods' customers? Planet A Foods serves both B2B customers (food manufacturers and confectionery companies) and retail markets. ChoViva products are available in over 42,000 retail stores across Europe, with major food companies like Barry Callebaut as partners. ### When was Planet A Foods founded? Planet A Foods was founded in 2021 in Munich, Germany by twin siblings Dr. Sara Marquart (a food chemist) and Maximilian Marquart. ### Where is Planet A Foods based? Planet A Foods is headquartered in Munich, Germany. The company operates production facilities in Germany and is developing a US production facility as part of international expansion. ### How much funding has Planet A Foods raised? Planet A Foods has raised over $45 million in total funding, including a $15.4 million Series A in February 2024 and a $30 million Series B in December 2024, from investors including World Fund, Burda Principal Investments, and Cherry Ventures. ### What makes Planet A Foods different from competitors? Planet A Foods uses proprietary fermentation technology to create authentic chocolate taste from local crops like sunflower seeds, reducing carbon footprint by up to 80%. The Barry Callebaut partnership gives them unique global distribution capabilities. ### How does ChoViva taste compared to real chocolate? ChoViva is designed to deliver authentic chocolate taste and functionality. The fermentation process creates complex flavor compounds similar to those in cocoa, resulting in a product that food manufacturers and consumers accept as a genuine chocolate alternative. ### Is ChoViva sustainable? Yes, ChoViva has up to 80% lower carbon footprint than traditional chocolate. By using locally sourced sunflower seeds and oats instead of cocoa, the product avoids the deforestation and supply chain challenges associated with cocoa production. ### What are Planet A Foods' expansion plans? Planet A Foods is expanding to the UK and France in Q1 2025, scaling production from 2,000 to over 15,000 tons annually, and developing US production facilities. The Barry Callebaut partnership will accelerate global market entry. ## Tags b2b2c, b2c, manufacturing, agriculture --- *Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*