From Startup to Front-runner: Foodflows’ Milestones and Market Validation

Tracking our journey from Zürich cafés to the IGEHO Rising Stars Award stage.

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In just over three years, Foodflows has grown from an idea into a recognized mission in coffee and its side streams, as well as in sustainable supply chains. Our journey, marked by key partnerships, critical trade show appearances, and major awards, is a testament to the quality of our products and the conviction of our community.

Onwards we go.

🤝 Early Validation and Strategic Expansion

Our initial steps focused on establishing a market presence and securing key strategic relationships:

Offline Presence & Early Wins: We started small but strategically, securing listings for our core products—including the Coffeecherry Elixir—at locations like the Kreisladen and Ahoi Ladencafé in Zürich. This paved the way for broader distribution through partners like the Getränkekollektiv in Basel.

Coffeecherry Elixir: A new way to experience the coffee plant (follow our news on Insta).

• Corporate and Academic Partnerships: We proved our product quality by equipping the Syngenta Shop in Basel with our house blend and single-origin coffees. Furthermore, our business model and product portfolio gained academic recognition, becoming a case study in two courses at the University of St. Gallen.

Fabrício (partner, left) and Matthias (co-founder, right) are cheering the milestone at the Syngenta shop.

• Sustainable Innovation: In April 2025, we addressed a major market gap by partnering with Bulls Coffee to launch our house blend in compostable capsules (made from wood or corn), achieving the perfect combination of taste, transparency, and sustainability for coffee machine users. Tasty!

Our current coffee capsules.

🔦 The Power of the Spotlight: Major Events and Recognition

Exposure at industry events has been crucial, allowing us to validate our niche products and build our network:

• International Coffee Stage: We stepped onto the global stage at the World of Coffee (WoC). We first shared a stand in the Roasters' Village in Copenhagen in 2024, where our Coffeecherry Elixir proved to be a magnet, receiving excellent feedback from industry professionals worldwide. We built on this success at WoC Geneva in 2025, where we hosted an innovative bar focusing on coffee cherries and blossoms, leading to new partnerships across Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Tasting of our dried coffee cherries at the World of Coffee fair in Geneva.

• The Roaster's Village Challenge: Our first participation in the Roaster Village at the Swiss Coffee Festival in Zürich was a highlight, allowing us to measure our specialty coffees against the country's best, securing interest from the top gastronomy sector, even reaching France—Coucou, chère voisine, on arrive.

  
  

🎊 The Peak: Finalist Status and Looking Ahead

The ultimate market validation came with our nomination for a prestigious industry award:

• IGEHO Rising Stars Award Finalist: Our greatest achievement to date was being selected as a finalist for the IGEHO Rising Stars Award 2025—Switzerland’s largest gastronomy fair. After making the shortlist via public voting in April 2025, we secured our place among the top five startups. This recognition guarantees significant attention and the opportunity to present our vision to a massive audience in November 2025.

Matthias' happy face with this solid recognition.

Connecting Continents: Our involvement in the nexBio Amazônia Program in 2024 and attendance at events like the Start Summit further cemented our role in strengthening the connection between Swiss innovation and Brazilian bioeconomy startups.

NextBio Amazônia Program crew.

These milestones, achieved through continuous effort and the support of our community, confirm that our focus on quality, transparency, and the whole-plant approach is a model ready for the spotlight.