Win-Win raises £3M to scale cocoa-free chocolate and expand across Europe

Food tech company Win-Win, creators of the UK’s first cocoa-free alternative to chocolate, has raised £3 million in a Series A funding round, bringing their total raised to date to £8 million. The funding round will further fuel Win-Win’s growth in the UK with investment into people, new product lines and expansion into major European markets.

Launched in 2021, Win-Win is on a mission to build a more sustainable food system, starting with chocolate that’s better for both the planet and its people. As a leader in sustainable food systems, Win-Win appeals to businesses and consumers who value great taste, ethical sourcing, and environmental responsibility. 

Using innovative technology, the company creates delicious cocoa-free chocolate alternatives made from abundant, natural ingredients, delivering rich flavour and endless possibilities while putting people, the planet, and products first.

Mark Golder, CEO of Win-Win, explains: 

We all love chocolate, but the way it’s currently produced isn’t sustainable. Climate change is leading to reduced yields, causing spiralling prices and supply-chain uncertainty. As consumers, we’re already seeing the impact of this in the form of rising prices and shrinkflation, and the cacao industry continues to be troubled by issues relating to deforestation. The industry is at an inflection point and needs alternative solutions that are stable and more environmentally and socially sustainable.

The team at Win-Win has developed patented breakthrough technology to deliver a cocoa-free alternative to chocolate that doesn’t compromise on appearance, taste or usage. We now have an incredible portfolio of chocolate alternative products, and this investment will help us to give manufacturers, food service providers and other businesses that use chocolate a delicious alternative that is better for both the planet and its people.

Win-Win produces a range of award-winning cocoa-free alternatives to chocolate, which are made using abundant, affordable and sustainable ingredients, including rice and carob. Win-Win has re-imagined the conventional fermentation process to achieve the same results without the need for cocoa, but utilising traditional chocolate crafting techniques such as roasting, grinding, refining and tempering to achieve their delicious chocolate alternative. Win-Win’s products use up to 80 per cent less water, emit 82 per cent fewer CO2e emissions, and are produced at scale in the UK.

The products look, melt, taste and snap just like chocolate. They can be used as a direct replacement for chocolate when making the sweet treats we all love: pastries, cakes, cookies, coatings, doughnuts, desserts and more! It’s better for people and the planet; a ‘Win-Win’ for businesses and consumers. 

We’re delighted to conclude this funding round, which provides us with extra resources to continue on our mission and deliver a sustainable and affordable alternative to chocolate. We’re grateful that industry specialists such as Oetker recognise the need and opportunity, and have chosen Win-Win for their investment,

adds Golder.

The round attracted investors such as the Oetker Collection, Foodlabs, Mustard Seed Maze, Gota Ventures, Paulig, and Kapital.

Sven Wiszniewski, Oetker Collection KG said: 

We’re big believers in the transformative potential of Win-Win. Their approach to reimagining ingredients like chocolate is not only groundbreaking from a scientific perspective but also incredibly timely given the environmental and ethical challenges facing the industry. We’re proud to support a team that’s combining world-class innovation with real-world impact, and we look forward to backing their growth across the UK and Europe.

Win-Win has also recently announced a major DACH distribution partnership with Martin Braun Backmittel und Essenzen KG, part of Martin Braun-Gruppe. Win-Win is the first cocoa-free alternative to chocolate in the Martin Braun-Gruppe portfolio, providing customers with two of Win-Win’s award-winning products: Win-Win vegan ‘M.lk’ and Win-Win dark cocoa-free chocolate alternatives.