London’s FoodTech startup Higher Nature bites into UK’s €3.7 billion hen market with €1.2 million funding enhance

British FoodTech startup Higher Nature, which specialises in clean-label tempeh merchandise, has secured €1.2 million in contemporary funding, following a formidable quarter wherein it noticed a 128% improve in gross sales.

The capital injection comes primarily from angel traders, 70% of whom have been current backers. The funds shall be used to scale gross sales and advertising and marketing efforts, broaden product innovation, and construct on Higher Nature’s rising enchantment amongst health-conscious and flexitarian shoppers.

Elin Roberts, Co-CEO of Higher Nature, stated: “We’re now the UK’s primary tempeh model by quantity, with 38.1% market share, main the class’s spectacular 41% progress.”

“Our newest fundraising spherical is a superb enhance for the enterprise at a degree when the tempeh class is quickly gaining momentum, and we’re seeing sturdy model progress,” she added.

Based in 2018 by Elin Roberts, Fabio Rinaldo, Chris Kong, and Indonesian meals scientist Dr Ando (Driando) Ahnan-Winarno, Higher Nature has positioned itself on the intersection of well being, sustainability, and custom. Its vary of tempeh merchandise, made out of fermented complete soybeans, is at the moment stocked at main UK retailers together with Tesco and Asda, and in additional than 1,300 shops throughout Germany.

The corporate is on a mission to carve a dent within the UK’s estimated €3.7 billion hen market with its high-protein, gut-friendly plant-based options.

The spherical displays cautious investor sentiment round various proteins – sector funding has reportedly fallen by 49% year-on-year in H1 2025 – however marks a major milestone for the startup because it grows its footprint within the UK and throughout Europe.

Higher Nature has leaned into the health-first narrative that now dominates the plant-based area, particularly as shopper confidence in ultra-processed meat options wanes. The startup reformulated its core tempeh product earlier this yr, boosting protein content material to 22g per 100g serving – roughly equal to 3 eggs – whereas sustaining a clear ingredient listing.

It now refers to its vary as “supercharged protein”, contrasting it in opposition to what Roberts calls “so-so protein” like hen.

Higher Nature was the second fastest-growing meat-free model within the UK final yr, with gross sales rising by 457%. Its authentic tempeh SKU is now the top-selling product in its class at Tesco, whereas Asda carries the model completely throughout its full property. Internationally, the model’s German gross sales surged by 330% in Q2 2025, and enlargement is already underway in Austria, with two further worldwide markets anticipated to comply with this yr.

“Internationally, we’re additionally making waves – in Germany, our revenues skyrocketed [by] 330% year-on-year in Q2 2025, making us the main tempeh model out there,” Roberts famous. “We’ve expanded into Austria, and we’re gearing up for launches in two extra worldwide markets later this yr.”

The corporate’s momentum aligns with broader shifts within the UK protein market. Whereas gross sales of conventional meat analogues declined by practically 10% in 2024, extra inexpensive whole-food choices like tofu, tempeh and seitan loved notable progress. UK tempeh gross sales reportedly jumped 85% year-on-year, reflecting growing curiosity in high-fibre, high-protein plant meals.

Higher Nature appears well-placed to seize this zeitgeist. In Could, the startup appointed former Dr Oetker and Bel Group account supervisor Helen Atkinson as head of gross sales, forward of its largest-ever advertising and marketing marketing campaign.

“As a model, we’re completely poised to seize the massive traits in well being proper now: high-protein, gut-friendly, pure, fibre-rich and plant-based,” stated Roberts. “With the brand new funding, we’ll proceed to drive mainstream model progress, going past the plant-based aisle to faucet into the rising marketplace for pure, gut-friendly proteins.”