Danish climate-friendly chocolate alternative gains traction with €1M funding round

Copenhagen-based Endless Food Co has raised €1 million in pre-seed funding to advance its alternative to traditional chocolate, called THIC (This Isn’t Chocolate). The funding, led by Nordic Foodtech VC and joined by EIFO and Rockstart, will help the company build a pilot plant, expand its production capabilities, and grow its team. THIC is made using upcycled brewer’s spent grain, offering a sustainable substitute for cacao, which is increasingly vulnerable to climate-related challenges and supply chain disruptions. Endless Food Co has also partnered with 7-Eleven Denmark to launch THIC-based products, including a co-branded cookie, in stores by the end of the year.

Endless Food Co focuses on developing sustainable food solutions. Founded by Matthew Orlando, Maximillian Bogenmann, and Christian Bach, the team combines decades of experience in hospitality with a focus on addressing challenges in the global food system. Drawing on their background in sustainable gastronomy, the company develops innovative approaches that balance environmental considerations with practical applications in the food industry.

”Our core mission is to provide a delicious, long-term, and price-friendly solution for the existing chocolate and food industries. Hopefully one day, we can help coat every Mars bar with our alternative chocolate solution,” says Maximillian Bogenmann, Co-founder and CEO of Endless Food Co. “Until then, offering a flavour-first, sustainable alternative to chocolate on a large scale presents a huge opportunity to positively impact our existing food system. Partnering with a forward-thinking retailer like 7-Eleven gives us an amazing first step toward realising the Endless vision.”

Nordic Foodtech VC is an investment firm focused on early-stage companies working to address challenges in the food system, such as sustainability and resource efficiency. The firm supports startups that aim to create practical solutions to issues like food waste and the environmental impact of food production. Its investment approach centers on fostering innovation that aligns with long-term global needs.

“Endless Food Co is a great bet in the alternative cacao space. Their ingredients playbook aligns beautifully with our strategy around backing founders solving the deep underlying problems in our global food system: Cacao is a climate – threatened crop that will become more expensive as supply becomes scarcer and demand continues to increase,” says Louise Rørbæk Heiberg from Nordic Foodtech VC. “We are proud to support this high-powered and impactful team in their journey as they grow and expand, starting wi th this key partnership with 7-Eleven. And let’s be clear , they’ve nailed the taste and quality from the beginning.”

Endless Food Co has joined forces with 7-Eleven Denmark to bring its chocolate alternative, THIC, to market. The partnership will see THIC-based products, including a cookie developed with TIM’s Cookies, available in 180 stores across Denmark. By integrating THIC into its offerings, 7-Eleven Denmark is supporting the introduction of a product designed to address sustainability challenges in the chocolate industry.

Jesper Østergaard, CEO of 7-Eleven Denmark, says, “7–Eleven is constantly exploring new opportunities and challenging the traditional way of doing things. In our eyes, THIC is a truly exciting product because it’s a more sustainable alternative to chocolate – without compromising on great taste. We’re excited to offer our customers THIC in our cookies as early as next month – and without giving it all away, I’m quite sure they can look forward to more of this kind in our stores in the future.”

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