Italian foodtech Foreverland secures €6M to scale industrial cocoa-free ingredient supply
The company is entering the organic space as the first industrial-scale producer of organic cocoa-free chocolate
Foreverland, the Italian foodtech company behind cocoa-free chocolate alternative Choruba, announced a €6 million funding round, bringing total capital raised to €9.4 million. The round includes follow-on participation from existing investors Kost Capital and Maia Ventures, alongside new backing from: CDP Venture Capital, through its Accelerator Fund and Italia Venture II Fund; Linfa agrifoodtech fund, managed by Riello Investimenti SGR; and Newtree Impact.
The funding will accelerate Foreverland’s international expansion across Europe, with a focus on deepening relationships with strategic confectionery players in Germany, France and Italy, and recruiting senior commercial leaders from globally recognised cocoa and chocolate manufacturers.
Foreverland’s first-of-its-kind production facility in Italy has recently obtained IFS (International Featured Standards) certification, confirming internationally recognised quality and safety standards and supporting reliable, high-volume supply for confectionery manufacturers. At the site, Foreverland processes locally sourced Mediterranean ingredients such as carob into cocoa-free chocolate alternatives designed for industrial use, helping manufacturers reduce exposure to cocoa price volatility and supply disruption.
“This round validates our execution, not just as a foodtech innovator, but as a reliable industrial partner for confectionery manufacturers,” said Massimo Sabatini, Co-founder and CEO of Foreverland. “With IFS Food certification in place and demand accelerating, we’re scaling commercial growth across Europe, strengthening key partnerships, and bringing in senior talent from the cocoa and chocolate industry to support manufacturers at scale.”
In parallel, Foreverland is expanding its offering into the organic space with the launch of a dedicated organic Choruba line. While the company’s core business remains the supply of conventional cocoa-free chocolate ingredients to manufacturers, it believes it is currently the only producer offering an organic cocoa-free alternative at industrial scale, with several organic products featuring Choruba already on shelves in Italy and France.
“We have great confidence in Foreverland's team and their ability to respond to a systemic challenge through innovative, effective and sustainable solutions to become a leader in the international alternative-chocolate market”, said Alessandro Scortecci, Direct Investments Director of CDP Venture Capital.
“At Linfa we invest in teams transforming the food value chain through scalable and commercially sound innovation.” said Marco Gaiani, Founding Partner, Linfa. “Foreverland exemplifies this thesis perfectly, demonstrating that cocoa-free alternatives can bridge sustainability, scale and commercial potential. That’s how you create systemic change and emerge as a category leader in agrifoodtech.”
“Following our initial investment, we have seen Foreverland execute with discipline and clarity,” said Andrea Galassi, Founding Partner, Maia Ventures. “Our decision to reinvest reflects our continued conviction in the team’s ability to develop future-proof ingredients and build the industrial credibility that manufacturers demand.”
This latest investment reinforces Foreverland’s position as an emerging category leader in alternative chocolate. As the company continues expanding across the EU, it is scaling its core conventional offering while meeting growing demand in the organic segment.
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