Sustainable packaging pioneer KluraLabs has raised £7.7m to scale its shelf-life extending product and support a wider rollout in UK supermarkets.
The Cambridge-based company’s technology is designed to slow the spoilage of food and reduce waste, improving logistics and efficiencies for retailers and suppliers in the F&B industry.
The proprietary stickers and films, which integrate into existing food packaging, have extended shelf life significantly in trials, particularly for berries, grapes and baked goods.
In testing with retail partners, the products slowed spoilage without changing odour, flavour, texture or appearance.
KluraLabs has started rolling out its packaging innovation in partnership with M&S, aiming to reduce waste from grower to consumer.
The latest funding will help the business, founded by Matin Mohseni and Reza Saberi Moghaddam in 2020, scale its proprietary technologies and develop new innovation to help food stay fresher for longer.
Ahren Innovation Capital led a £6.2m Series A round in KluraLabs, with support from JamJar Investments, Bramble Investments and international investment group Triple B. Overall funding totalled £7.7m, with earlier investment committed before the round officially launched.
“KluraLabs is redefining how materials and packaging can keep food fresher for longer, helping to reduce waste while delivering clear commercial benefits on a global scale,” said KluraLabs CEO Charlie Hobhouse.
The support from Henry Dimbleby’s Bramble Investments marked the firm’s maiden deal from its £100m Pioneer Fund. The former government food tsar launched Bramble Partners in 2024 to support companies creating healthier and more environmentally friendly products. The investment arm’s Pioneer Fund is targeting investment of £1m-£5m into UK businesses.
Dimbleby added: “From our first meeting with KluraLabs, it was clear this is a game-changer for the food industry.
“Food waste is something every family in the UK deals with – but it’s also a big environmental issue and a major commercial problem for businesses. This technology keeps food fresh for longer without changing taste or quality, saving households and businesses money that’s currently lost when food is thrown away.”
Hobhouse said: “The products we are developing at KluraLabs have the potential to revolutionise our food system and we are immensely proud to have the backing of the team at Bramble Partners.”
KluraLabs took home the bronze prize at last year’s Future of Food Competition.
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