Alimentare, Mutti and Cagnin invest 5 million in Dreamfarm’s vegetable mozzarella – WWN
In the Emilian “Food Valley”, three boys launch the vegetable challenge with Parmigiano Reggiano and the local big food companies arrive to take up their glove. Dreamfarm – this is the name of the startup started by two young people from Parma, Maddalena Zanoni, 37 years old, and Mattia Sandei, 34 years old – after two years of research it has patented a spreadable cheese and a vegetable alternative mozzarella which it convinced shops and restaurants such as the Fradiavolo and Pizzium chains to adopt it. But beyond the palate, the new cheese has also stimulated the interest of Francesco Mutti, CEO and owner of the Mutti tomato processing group, and Giampaolo Cagnin, founder of Italiana Ingredienti, Campus and Hi-Food who together invested 5 million euros in Dreamfarm. The new resources will be used to finance the construction of a production plant in Sala Baganza (Parma), to expand the range of products and their presence in shops and supermarkets in Italy and abroad.
«We invested in the project – explains Cagnin – because we believe that there is a real possibility of revolutionizing the sector, thanks to important innovations in the technological field and an attractive and very recognizable branding on the shelf».«After two years of studies we came out in May with alternative spreadable cheese and mozzarella, we obtained them starting from the fermentation of almonds through selected crops, we obtain the almonds in Italy and in the Mediterranean basin», explains Giovanni Menozzi who has held the role of CEO of Dreamfarm since March after selling his healthy meals at home startup Nutribees to Eagle Capital Ventures.
«Both cheeses have a Nutriscore A score, meaning the saturated fats inside them are less than 1% – he continues -. Mutti believes a lot in plant-based products and his contribution will be important for the commercial side, while Cagnin’s skills will be fundamental on the board.” Dreamfarm is already developing new “plant based” products: a stracciatella, a burrata and tests have begun for yoghurts while the Parma factory will extend over 600 square metres. «We aim to reach 10 million in revenues over the next three years», comments Menozzi.
