German AI foodtech startup Foodforecast raises €8 Million to cut ultra-fresh food waste

Cologne-based Foodforecast, a startup using artificial intelligence to improve how food with short shelf lives is forecast and produced, has raised €8 million in a Series A funding round as it scales across Europe.

The round was co-led by SHIFT Invest and the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF), with participation from existing backers Future Food Fund and Aeronaut Invest.

Foodforecast builds AI-driven forecasting tools tailored for ultra-fresh food categories, products such as baked goods, sandwiches and ready-to-eat meals that are sold and consumed within hours or a single day.

These items have traditionally relied on manual planning, which often leads to overproduction, waste and lost revenue.

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The company says its system now predicts demand more reliably and integrates with store production and ordering workflows, automating decisions that were once made by gut feeling.

According to the company, customers using its platform see waste reductions of up to 30 percent and sales increases of around 11 percent. The technology also automates more than 90 percent of previously manual ordering and production tasks, allowing teams to focus more on service and operations.

Founded in 2018 by Lauten and Jan Brormann, the startup launched commercially in 2022 and says its tools are already used in thousands of stores throughout Europe.

Investors describe Foodforecast’s work as an example of how AI can generate measurable economic and environmental impact.

Isabelle Laurencin, a partner at ECBF, said sustainability is central to the company’s value proposition, helping food operators use resources more efficiently and reduce emissions alongside waste.

With the new funding, Foodforecast plans to broaden its presence across multiple European markets, refine its forecasting models, and deepen adoption among both small and large customers in food service, bakery, and retail sectors.