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UK-based food tech start-up The Bland Company has secured $2.67 million in pre-seed funding to scale its proprietary technology that transforms underused agricultural side streams into high-performance plant proteins capable of replacing eggs across multiple food applications.
The round was led by Initialized Capital, with participation from Entrepreneurs First, Alumni Ventures, Transpose Platform and Behind Genius Ventures.
Founded in 2024 by biochemists Yash Khandelwal and Micol Hafez, The Bland Company is developing a biochemical processing platform that converts agricultural side streams into highly functional, soluble plant proteins, without the need for novel manufacturing equipment.
The technology is designed to integrate directly into existing food production infrastructure, offering a scalable alternative to traditional egg ingredients.
Bland’s first commercial focus is on egg replacement in baked goods, condiments and confectionery – a category with growing industrial relevance as egg supply volatility, price instability and procurement challenges increase globally.
Approximately one-third of all eggs are used in industrial food manufacturing, making supply disruptions a significant operational risk for large producers.
“Our platform is built to deliver the same core functional properties as eggs, binding, foaming, and emulsifying, without the volatility,” said co-founder Yash Khandelwal, in a video posted to LinkedIn.
“That’s critical for large-scale manufacturers who depend on consistency, cost control and secure supply chains," he continued.
According to the company, its protein functionalisation platform offers three key advantages:
Multi-functionality: Proteins are highly soluble and capable of foaming, binding and emulsifying
Cost efficiency: Compatible with existing processing infrastructure
Feedstock flexibility: Feedstock-agnostic system using underutilised agricultural side streams
The Bland Company has already initiated pilot trials with large CPG companies in the US and Europe, targeting egg replacement in baked goods and other food applications.
With the new capital, the start-up plans to expand its team and accelerate development of its protein functionalisation platform, positioning it as a scalable industrial solution for plant-based formulation.
