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Mondelēz collaborates with FoodTech Incubator, The Kitchen

30 Apr 2019

Mondelēz International is to collaborate with The Kitchen, Israel's only FoodTech-focused incubator and one of the first FoodTech incubators in the world.

Through the collaboration, led by Mondelēz International’s R&D and SnackFutures teams, Mondelēz International will have unparalleled access and visibility to one of the world’s leading FoodTech ecosystems.

Mondelēz collaborates with FoodTech Incubator, The Kitchen

Mondelēz International will also offer technological and commercial expertise to entrepreneurs from The Kitchen and provide an opportunity to work in the company’s global Technical Centers, including access to pilot plants and internal experts across a variety of areas such as R&D, Food Safety, Marketing Insights and Operations.

“With over 6,600 active start-up companies and a steady growth year on year, the Israeli innovation ecosystem is one of the most dynamic in the world and we’re thrilled to be part of it,” said Tim Cofer, Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer of Mondelēz International. “We’re looking to collaborate with the best and brightest talent in advancing the future of snacking. We know we don’t have all the answers within our four walls, so we’re on a mission to create an unconventional ecosystem of partners. The collaboration with The Kitchen is another great example of this ecosystem at play.”

With 12 portfolio companies so far, The Kitchen addresses global food challenges by nurturing and investing in cutting-edge technology startups. The goal is to nourish promising FoodTech ventures that can make the global food system more productive, more affordable, more sustainable, and healthier.

“The Kitchen, as a ventures builder, constantly seeks to bring value to its portfolio companies,” said Jonathan Berger, CEO of The Kitchen. “Partnering with an industry leader such as Mondelēz International will bring tremendous value to The Kitchen and our portfolio companies. We look forward to working with their dedicated team and to introducing Israeli FoodTech innovation from seed to shelf around the globe.”

As part of the collaboration, Rob Hargrove, Executive Vice President, Research, Development and Quality at Mondelēz International, joined The Kitchen Advisory Council. “There’s no doubt that Israel is a world leader in food and agricultural innovation, and we’ve been truly inspired by the talented entrepreneurs that are part of The Kitchen,” said Rob Hargrove. “We’re looking forward to collaborate with those start-ups, be it to jointly develop new technologies or to provide help and expertise in specific fields.”

SnackFutures is designed as an independent hub that brings three core tenets of growth under one umbrella to accelerate innovation: invention of new brands and businesses; reinvention of small-scale brands with large-scale potential, and venture investments with start-up entrepreneurs to bring emerging brands and strategic capabilities.

SnackFutures seeks to collaborate in three key strategic areas: well-being snacks, premium snacks, digital platforms and capabilities.

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