Mars and Unreasonable Group Select 14 Food Tech Ventures to Transform Global Food Systems

Mars Snacking and Unreasonable Group have announced the selection of fourteen purpose-driven ventures for their 2025 Unreasonable Food cohort, marking the second year of their collaborative initiative aimed at transforming global food systems. The program focuses on backing entrepreneurs who are turning pressing food chain challenges into sustainable opportunities, with particular emphasis on reducing dairy emissions, scaling sustainable ingredients, and developing natural color alternatives.

Amanda Davies, Chief R&D, Procurement and Sustainability Officer for Mars Snacking, emphasized the collaborative nature of addressing food system challenges, stating that building ecosystems connecting pioneering ventures with industry leaders can unlock new possibilities and accelerate transformation toward a more resilient future. The selected ventures represent cutting-edge innovations in food technology, including companies like Alpine Bio, which engineers crops to produce dairy proteins without cows, and Standing Ovation, which produces animal-free casein through precision fermentation.

Other notable ventures include Oobli, which harnesses sweet proteins from plants to create sugar-like tastes without actual sugar, and Debut Biotechnology, which ferments high-value ingredients including natural color alternatives to replace unsustainable or synthetic sources. The cohort also features companies addressing climate resilience, such as NuCicer, which breeds chickpea varieties with up to 75% more protein and improved resistance to climate stress.

The program builds on the success of the 2024 inaugural cohort, which reported significant achievements including nearly $200 million in additional revenue, 140,000 tons of CO₂e avoided, and 310 million liters of water conserved. These ventures reached 24 million more people with safe, nutritious food and educated 2 million people on climate change mitigation while creating improved job opportunities across their communities.

Daniel Epstein, CEO of Unreasonable Group, expressed honor in welcoming the new entrepreneurs, noting that their work reflects shared ambitions to evolve the food system sustainably and inclusively. The collective 2024 and 2025 ventures will engage with Mars teams, Unreasonable Food mentors, and a global investor network to focus on transforming food supply chains and shaping the future of food. For more information about the program, visit Unreasonable Food.