Rising cocoa prices and unstable supply chains are forcing manufacturers to rethink one of the world’s most beloved ingredients. Into this gap steps Foreverland, an Italian foodtech startup aiming to reshape how chocolate is made without relying on cocoa.
The company has raised €6 million in fresh funding, led by Kost Capital and Maia Ventures, alongside new investors CDP Venture Capital, Linfa agrifoodtech fund (managed by Riello Investimenti SGR), and Newtree Impact. This brings its total capital to €9.4 million.
Foreverland plans to use the capital to expand across Europe, focusing on Germany, France, and Italy. The strategy goes beyond distribution. The company is already building relationships with major confectionery manufacturers and hiring experienced commercial leaders from global chocolate and cocoa players.
How was this idea born?
Foreverland was founded to address the growing environmental and social challenges within global cocoa supply chains. Cocoa production is increasingly affected by climate instability, price volatility, and structural sustainability issues. The founders saw an opportunity to develop a next-generation chocolate alternative that delivers on taste and functionality while significantly reducing environmental impact.
By leveraging locally sourced Mediterranean ingredients such as carob and applying proprietary processing techniques, Foreverland aims to offer a scalable, sustainable alternative that can integrate seamlessly into existing manufacturing processes, helping the industry transition toward more resilient supply chains.
The team behind this idea
Foreverland was founded in Milan in 2023 by Massimo Sabatini, Riccardo Bottiroli, and Massimo Brochetta.
Massimo Sabatini, Co-founder and CEO, brings a background in engineering, innovation, and venture building. Before founding Foreverland, he co-founded Breakin Snacks and worked at Eni across strategic sourcing and the JOULE startup accelerator, focusing on market intelligence, startup scouting, and open innovation. He holds an MSc in Digital Business & Market Innovation and a BSc in Management & Production Engineering from Politecnico di Milano.
Riccardo Bottiroli, Co-founder and CTO, is a food scientist with extensive experience in R&D across both academia and industry. He has worked at Ferrero in confectionery R&D and held research roles at institutions including Wageningen University and Fondazione Edmund Mach. He also leads Developeat, a consultancy supporting food companies in product development and scale-up. Riccardo holds a PhD in Food Science.
Massimo Brocchetta, Co-founder and Head of Production, has a background in organic chemistry and product innovation. Prior to Foreverland, he worked as a research chemist at SpiroChem and the Technical University of Braunschweig, specialising in catalysis and complex synthesis. He also collaborates with Developeat on food product development. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Pavia and applies his scientific expertise to guide efficient product development for scale-up, as well as quality assurance at Foreverland.
Meet the chocolate alternative from Italy
At the core of its proposition is Choruba, a cocoa-free chocolate alternative designed for industrial use. Unlike many food innovations that remain limited to niche or small-batch production, Foreverland has taken a manufacturing-first approach. Its production facility in Puglia has secured IFS (International Featured Standards) Food certification, a globally recognised benchmark for quality and safety.
This certification plays a critical role in building trust with large-scale manufacturers, confirming that Choruba can be integrated into high-volume production without compromising consistency or reliability.
Choruba is made from locally sourced Mediterranean ingredients, including carob, a crop that is less exposed to the environmental challenges affecting cocoa farming. By removing reliance on cocoa, the product offers manufacturers a way to navigate ongoing price volatility and supply uncertainty.
At the same time, it is designed to deliver a familiar chocolate-like taste and experience.
Organic cocoa-free chocolate
Alongside its core offering, Foreverland is expanding into organic cocoa-free chocolate with a dedicated Choruba line. The company is positioning itself as potentially the first to produce an organic cocoa-free alternative at an industrial scale, a space where most existing solutions remain confined to smaller, premium segments.
Early traction is evident, with organic products made with Choruba appearing on shelves in Italy and France. As this segment develops, Foreverland continues to scale its conventional product line, balancing new category creation with current market demand.
The company’s approach combines scientific research with Italy’s food heritage, focusing on creating ingredients that prioritise both taste and sustainability.
As pressure on traditional cocoa supply chains continues to grow, Foreverland is positioning itself to offer manufacturers a more stable alternative, one that aligns with operational needs and shifting consumer expectations.
What’s the future plan?
Over the next three to five years, Foreverland is focused on scaling its position as a leading industrial supplier of cocoa-free chocolate alternatives across Europe and beyond.
Key priorities include accelerating international expansion, particularly in core European markets such as Germany, France, and Italy, and deepening partnerships with major confectionery manufacturers. The company is also investing in commercial growth by recruiting senior talent from the cocoa and chocolate industry.
Operationally, Foreverland will continue to scale production capacity of Choruba® at its IFS-certified facility in Italy, ensuring a reliable, high-volume supply. At the same time, it is expanding its product portfolio, including entering the organic segment with what it believes to be the first industrial-scale organic cocoa-free chocolate alternative. Overall, the company aims to strengthen its role as a category leader, combining sustainability, industrial scalability, and product performance to reshape the future of chocolate.
“This round validates our execution, not just as a foodtech innovator, but as a reliable industrial partner for confectionery manufacturers,” said Massimo Sabatini, Co-founder and CEO of Foreverland. “With IFS Food certification in place and demand accelerating, we’re scaling commercial growth across Europe, strengthening key partnerships, and bringing in senior talent from the cocoa and chocolate industry to support manufacturers at scale.”
“We have great confidence in Foreverland’s team and their ability to respond to a systemic challenge through innovative, effective and sustainable solutions to become a leader in the international alternative-chocolate market”, said Alessandro Scortecci, Direct Investments Director of CDP Venture Capital.
At Linfa we invest in teams transforming the food value chain through scalable and commercially sound innovation,” said Marco Gaiani, Founding Partner, Linfa. “Foreverland exemplifies this thesis perfectly, demonstrating that cocoa-free alternatives can bridge sustainability, scale and commercial potential. That’s how you create systemic change and emerge as a category leader in agrifoodtech.”
“Following our initial investment, we have seen Foreverland execute with discipline and clarity,” said Andrea Galassi, Founding Partner, Maia Ventures. “Our decision to reinvest reflects our continued conviction in the team’s ability to develop future-proof ingredients and build the industrial credibility that manufacturers demand.”
