Green Spot Technologies Ferments the Future of Food

The vintners of the region now known as France began harnessing fermentation for wine production more than 2,600 years ago. Now, Toulouse-based Green Spot Technologies ferments unused side streams of plant materials from wineries, breweries, and beverage companies into innovative and nutrition-rich ingredients for food product developers in a zero-waste process.

“Our goal is not just to create alternatives, but to make ingredients that food professionals genuinely enjoy working with—without compromise on taste, performance, or sustainability,” says Manon Ledoux, Green Spot’s chief of marketing and impact.

Annual global food waste stands at an estimated 1.3 billion tons, a loss valued at $1 trillion. One might say that Green Spot Technologies is taking a massive “bite” out of food waste, one up-scaled morsel at a time. Contributing to a circular and low-carbon economy is a key aspect of the company’s vision.

“The idea emerged from our founder’s background in food science and sustainability, observing how nutrient-rich byproducts were routinely discarded. Fermentation quickly appeared as a powerful way to unlock their value at scale,” Ledoux says.

Green Spot cofounder Ninna Granucci holds a PhD in biotechnology from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. In recent years, the company has collected a slew of awards. In 2024, for example, the Cartier Women’s Initiative named Granucci as the recipient of its second-place Science and Technology Pioneer Award. The company was also selected as a finalist in the “Create a Waste-Free World” category of the 2024 Earthshot Prize.

Green Spot’s products include powders based on fermented fava and grapes for replacing cocoa ingredients in chocolate recipes, and a low-sugar, high-quality fiber ingredient for bakery products.

“We use a controlled, food-grade fermentation process that enhances flavor, functionality, and nutritional profile while ensuring industrial scalability and consistency,” Ledoux says. The company’s proprietary process involves selected microorganisms, with the strains and combinations varied depending on the product and its targeted functionality. “We work with well-known food microorganisms such as bacteria and yeasts, all compliant with food safety and regulatory standards,” Ledoux continues.

Last November, Green Spot Technologies announced that it had secured 5 million euros (nearly $6 million U.S.) to help develop and launch a brand of sustainable fermented ingredients called Milatea designed for use by bakers, pastry chefs, and confectioners. The brand consists of powders, fillings, and inclusions derived from the fermentation of fava beans and plant fibers.

We use a controlled, food-grade fermentation process that enhances flavor, functionality, and nutritional profile while ensuring industrial scalability and consistency.

Manon Ledoux

Green Spot Technologies

“Milatea marks our first consumer-facing brand, translating our fermentation know-how into qualitative and natural ingredients designed for pastry and as convenient as chocolate,” Ledoux says. “We’re now moving from pilot launches to broader commercial discussions.”

The brand name Milatea blends the ideas of milling, fermentation, and ancestral knowledge that reflect the process and the sensory experience, she adds. “It’s meant to signal something familiar yet entirely new.”

Team for the Planet led the recent funding round, in concert with the European Innovation Council Fund and other investors. “This first investment by Team for the Planet in the agri-food sector confirms that concrete solutions exist to decarbonize this key industry,” cofounder Denis Galha Garcia said in a statement issued last November. “The next step is to scale them up.”

The company employs a team of about 20 people who combine R&D, industrial, and commercial expertise, working in partnership with major food manufacturers. The partnerships include AGIR in France and Cacaolab in Belgium. Green Spot also draws upon its network of chefs for feedback and recipes.

With headquarters in Toulouse and its production site in Carpentras, Green Spot sees France as a natural base for global expansion. “France offers a unique combination of agri-food excellence, fermentation know-how, strong research infrastructure, and a culture of gastronomy aligned with our ambition,” Ledoux says.