Fungu'it: A new generation of fermented and natural aromatic ingredients

How can we do better - more natural, more circular - without losing aromatic intensity or industrial efficiency? Fungu'it answers this equation with a rare technology: solid fermentation of filamentous fungi. Today, the startup is raising 4 million euros to go to industrial scale. And usher in a new era for natural flavors.

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What we call "aroma", and what it could become

Flavors are everywhere. And yet, few consumers know what they cover: complex compositions, ultra-technical formulation, strong presence of synthetics. In both plant-based alternatives and ultra-processed products, they play a central role... but often remain the blind spot in foodtech innovation.

Fungu'it has entered this grey area with a simple conviction: flavors must once again become ingredients in their own right, derived from living organisms, conveying taste as well as meaning.

Their solution? A solid fermentation process inspired by the most efficient biological systems, which transforms agricultural by-products into powerful, long-lasting natural flavors. It's a rare technology that has yet to be industrialized on a global scale.

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When nature becomes performance

In two years of R&D, Fungu'it has stabilized two emblematic ingredients:

• A meaty umami flavor designed for vegetable alternatives (Happyvore, Cocoriton...). It simplifies recipes, enriches taste and reduces salt, while lowering costs for manufacturers.
• A chocolate flavoring that can replace up to 25% of the cocoa in a recipe, with very tangible economic and environmental benefits.

Beyond these two products, the promise is much broader: Fungu'it aims to build one of the first solid fermentation flavor databases, by testing over 100 combinations of strains, co-products and fermentation parameters. A systemic approach, supported by a team that combines scientific excellence with industrial ambition.

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A market waiting for credible alternatives

The global flavors market is experiencing sustained growth, estimated to reach 26 billion USD by 2032. But above all, it is structured around well-established historical players... and technologies that are struggling to meet new expectations: naturalness, circularity, sobriety.

In this context, solid-state fermentation offers a promising way forward, but one that has been little exploited to date, due to a lack of industrial know-how and scalability. This is precisely where Fungu'it stands out: high-performance technology, competitive costs, a process that saves water and energy, and the ability to adapt to industrial requirements.

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From proof to scale

Fungu'it is now entering a new phase of development with a €4 million round of financing, led by Asterion Ventures, with the support of UI Invest and Evolem. The fund-raising has three objectives:

1. Build a pilot plant producing several dozen tonnes per year.
2. Structuring intellectual property, with the filing of patents for the industrial process and protection of the recipe database.
3. Strengthen the sales team and accelerate discussions already underway with key accounts in the sector (blenders, pure players, manufacturers).

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From lab to factory: a team built for scale

Disruptive technology is not enough. What makes the difference at Fungu'it is the ability to execute.

The founding team brings together top-level profiles:

• Anas Erridaoui, CEO, a graduate of emlyon and Polytech Orléans, with real product and market sensitivity.
• Jeanne Beaudevin, Head of Research, a graduate of AgroParisTech, with strong expertise in sourcing and formulation.
• Cyrille Viossat, ex-VP Engineering at Innovafeed, is a graduate of Polytechnique and Les Ponts. He brings a rare mastery of industrialization, and has already structured strategic recruitment.

They were able to move ahead quickly, build a solid IP base, and get the first customers on board (including Cocoriton, the first paying customer). All this with margins that are already significant (50% today, 70% targeted in the medium term), and a model designed to be duplicated plant by plant.

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Strategic potential beyond meat flavouring

While the company's entry into the market is based on umami and chocolate flavors, the field of possibilities is much wider: smoky, fruity, salty flavors... so many applications already being tested. The funds raised will also be used to secure the first offtakes, prepare Series A (scheduled for 2026), and lay the foundations for industrial production at 500 tonnes/year by 2027.

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Produce less, produce better, produce good

Fungu'it is not just a technical response to an industrial need. It's a proposal for transformation: transforming what has been neglected (agricultural by-products) into what makes all the difference (taste), without compromising on performance.

This is the ambition we wanted to support.

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To find out more :

• Les Echos - Read the article
• Techrising - Read the article
• Silicon Canal - Read the article

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