pladis Accelerator Champions Next-Gen Snacks with Functional Legumes and Waterlily Popcorn

From popcorn made with waterlilies to enzymes that turn sugar into fibre after eating, pladis is backing the future of snacking with the launch of its 2025 Accelerator Programme. The London-based snack giant has selected 12 start-ups from over 300 global applicants to take part in the eight-week scale-up initiative.

The programme, powered by Yıldız Ventures (the innovation arm of parent company Yıldız Holding), brings together early-stage businesses targeting major industry challenges, including obesity, food waste, sustainable materials, and personalised nutrition.

“There’s so much creativity in this group. What stood out is how practical their thinking is. This cohort has big ideas that are grounded in real science and they’re ready to be tested in the real world.” said Jennifer Moss, Chief R&D Officer at pladis.

Breakthrough Innovation on Show

Among the selected start-ups:

• Nuritas (Ireland) – Uses AI and genomics to identify plant peptides that trigger health benefits at a cellular level.

• Fermtech – Produces a low-carbon cocoa alternative by fermenting food industry side-streams, offering a 98% smaller footprint than traditional cocoa.

• Zya – Has created enzymes that convert up to 30% of consumed sugar into fibre post-ingestion, potentially reshaping how sugar impacts health without altering taste.

• PulseON Foods – Uses legumes to mimic the metabolic effects of weight-loss drugs, supporting satiety and gut health.

• Just Nosh – Introduces a waterlily seed-based snack with a popcorn-like crunch.

• MicroLub – Developing novel fat replacements to enhance texture in plant-based products.

• Pack2Earth – Offers biodegradable packaging that decomposes at home—even for liquid and semi-solid foods.

Each company will gain access to pladis teams across R&D, supply chain, regulatory, and marketing, along with opportunities for live trials and commercial insight.

The initiative is run in collaboration with food tech platform Forward Fooding, which supported start-up sourcing and evaluation.