NutritionInvestor launches first-of-its-kind food rankings for disruptive food start-ups

  • 21 March 2022
  • Start-ups
Applicants to be ranked based on category and investment history by esteemed panel of industry heavyweights
NI Disruptors to help food and foodtech start-ups and scale-ups gain publicity and access to leading investors, buyers and advisors

NutritionInvestor is pleased to launch the NI Disruptors, a definitive rankings for the start-ups and scale-ups challenging their categories within food, drinks and nutrition. 

The Disruptors programme, which will rank applicants based on their category/sector, IP, investment/ sales background, potential to scale and management team, will be judged by an independent panel of industry heavyweights spanning advisory, investor and accelerator roles, providing  provide a 360 perspective of the sector. 

Applicants of the rankings will gain access to our expanding investor network and subscription-based content, as well as exclusive invites to valuable networking events catered specifically to their needs and our flagship trade-show and conference in September.

Food, beverage, nutrition and foodtech start-ups and scale-ups with at least a year of sales reporting (for consumer goods and services) or some history of outside investment are eligible to apply for the Disruptors programme by submitting a form via the NutritionInvestor Disruptors page . 

Submissions are completely free of charge and all private information submitted by applicants, including sales and investment details, will only be shared with judges to help inform their decisions. 

Applications will close in June with the final list to be published in July, providing a definitive breakdown of key businesses leading the charge in F&B. Companies featured will also be able to receive feedback from judges to assist their efforts in fundraising, growth or whatever else they are focused on. 

Please send any questions to NI editor Nicole Macedo at [email protected]

NI Disruptors judging panel 

Trefor Griffith, partner, Grant Thornton UK (Global accounting, tax and advisory firm) 

Charles Lanceley, director, Alantra (Global investment banking and asset management firm) 

Richard Brick, principle, investment, True Global (PE and growth investor for food and food tech disruptors) 

Robert Lawson, managing partner, Food Strategy Associates (Boutique industry advisory) 

Justine Modenhäuser, associate director, Spayne Lindsay (Corporate M&A advisory) 

Paddy Willis, founder, CEO, Mission Ventures (Accelerator and investor for industry challenger brands) 

Audrey Gyr, start-up innovation specialist, Good Food Institute (Leading non-profit advisor for alt-protein category) 

Lena Ludwig, principal, Vital Gains (Alt-protein and plant-based M&A advisory in North America) 

Elysabeth Alfano, alt-protein consultant and CEO of VegTech investor (Specialises in branding and growth among early-stage start-ups) 

Henrietta Hearth, program director, Big Idea Ventures (Foodtech VC and accelerator with cohorts in Paris, US and Singapore) 

Neeraj Berry, founder, Tet Ventures (Foodtech and fast-delivery VC and former meal-delivery entrepreneur) 

Xiwen Qing, director for food and agtech, Plug and Play China (Early- stage investor in China) 

Paul Chiappe, managing partner, Joelson Law (Leading law firm advising food start-ups) 

Adrian Boswell, food and wellness retail buyer, Selfridges (Leading luxury retailer in UK)