Milk without cows – progress with patience

Munich Startup: Please describe your current situation to me!

Malte Zeeck: We launched our first products in German retail stores in October 2025, including at Edeka and Rewe. Our approach is to offer a significantly better version of milk today, with better nutritional profile and a taste very close to the original, but with significantly less cow. The response so far has been very positive, especially from people trying the product. In parallel, we are already working on the next generation: completely animal-free, based on precision fermentation.

Munich Startup: Why does the EU test so rigorously? Why is testing faster in other countries?

Malte Zeeck: The EU has deliberately set very high safety standards with its Novel Food Regulation. New foods are subjected to extremely thorough testing. This is fundamentally sensible and builds trust. At the same time, the processes are often very lengthy and unpredictable. Countries like the USA, Israel, or Singapore are more pragmatic and faster in this regard, without, in our view, compromising on safety.

Strict EU rules: Security demands clash with innovation brakes

Munich Startup: Isn't that also a competitive disadvantage?

Malte Zeeck: Yes, this is definitely a competitive disadvantage for European companies. While other markets already have initial products on the shelves and are gaining valuable experience, we are still in the approval process. This means that innovation and value creation are partially migrating to other regions. At the same time, this also has an ecological dimension: the longer such technologies are delayed, the longer we remain dependent on existing, more resource-intensive production methods. Europe therefore risks falling behind not only economically, but also in terms of climate protection and resource efficiency.

Munich Startup: How does it feel to have to wait so long?

Malte Zeeck: To be honest, it's sometimes frustrating. You know the technology works and that it offers real added value for consumers. At the same time, you're dependent on processes that take several years. But as a founder, you learn to deal with that and work on the things you can influence in parallel.

Munich Startup: What about the financial situation? It must be a huge burden, right?

Malte Zeeck: Such long time horizons naturally present a financial challenge, as they require upfront investments in product development, team, and infrastructure – without the next product generation yet generating revenue. We don't share specific figures, but it's clear that capital requirements and planning certainty play a major role in such an environment. This makes it all the more important that we establish a viable business model with our current products today.

Munich Startup: Can you assess the extent of the problem? Will every future product have to go through this preliminary process?

Malte Zeeck: As a general rule, whenever a novel ingredient is used, the Novel Food Regulation applies. This means that new technologies almost always require a corresponding lead time. However, once an ingredient is approved, it becomes significantly easier to develop further products based on it. In this respect, the initial approval is the crucial step.

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Munich Startup: Are you completely stopped now, or can you still continue working in the background?

Malte Zeeck: We are definitely not slowed down. On the contrary: We use the timeto build our brand, develop the market, and further improve our products. At the same time, we are working intensively behind the scenes on the next generation. We want to be ready as soon as the regulatory hurdles are lifted.

Munich Startup: What demands do you have of politicians regarding faster approvals?

Malte Zeeck: Our goal is not a lower level of security, but rather greater speed and predictability. Processes should become more transparent and efficient so that companies can invest reliably and build innovations in Europe.

At the same time, this is not just about economic competitiveness, but also about ecological progress. Technologies such as precision fermentation have the potential to significantly reduce resource consumption and emissions in food production. The faster such solutions are responsibly introduced to the market, the faster we can both seize economic opportunities and make progress in sustainability.

Our goal would therefore be a regulatory framework that enables both: innovation and value creation in Europe and at the same time a tangible contribution to a more sustainable diet.