Heura is adapting to the readjustment experienced by the plant-based industry, which broke out a few years ago with the promise of displacing animal meat with vegetable substitutes that emulate its texture and taste.
The end of the era of easy money, as well as the great unfulfilled expectations of the sector, have caused the emerging Barcelona company to focus its objectives on achieving profitability and improving the healthy qualities of its products, one of the pending subjects of this food category. “We have just registered our first patent in the European Union in order to start producing without additives and with vegetable ingredients that have fiber, protein and a low fat content”, explained yesterday Marc Coloma, co-founder of the company with Bernat vintages
The company will begin using this method in the third quarter with products that emulate sausages, sausages, fish, and later use the formula with dairy substitutes. “We have invested millions in the creation of this method because we think it will revolutionize the category. In fact, next year we plan to register another patent”, details Coloma. In addition, the company plans to bring a large part of production closer to Catalonia through subcontracting the service to plants of large local manufacturers. He currently collaborates with 7 producers, spread between Spain, Holland and France.
At the same time, the company has focused on achieving profitability. “Due to the demands of investors, we are cutting the labor cost. This year we have laid off 16 people, 9% of the workforce, which now has 168 workers”. Coloma says that the company has not applied an ERO and that the layoffs have mainly affected staff working on European markets (France, Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom…), which today account for 25% of sales.
With this adjustment, Coloma ensures that Heura will achieve profitability in Spain this year and that it will be profitable globally in 2025. Until then, the emerging company plans to grow through venture capital. “Soon we will open a round of micro-patronage to obtain a maximum of 5 million and at the same time we will close a venture capital round to obtain between 25 and 35 million”, detailed Coloma yesterday, who expects to close the round at the end of 2023.
Last year sales increased by 80% and invoiced 31 million euros. Since its birth in 2017, the company has raised more than 30 million.
