Founded ten years ago, Kharis Capital is a European private equity firm with a global presence, specializing in the food and beverage (F&B) industry. The firm has built a team of over 20 experts across Benelux and China, leveraging decades of experience from top companies like AB InBev to drive growth in the sector.
With more than €1 billion invested in food brands, food service platforms, and consumer tech companies, Kharis Capital has become a key player in fostering innovation in the food sector. Their portfolio includes notable names like Rigoni di Asiago, QSRP, and Valtech. In 2024, they launched the Kharis Food Tech Fund, a venture-growth initiative aimed at supporting foodtech scale-ups that address key industry challenges and opportunities.
Focus Areas of the Kharis Food Tech Fund
The Kharis Food Tech Fund focuses on tech-driven companies in the EMEA region. The fund invests in solutions that tackle the evolving needs of consumers, as well as pressing challenges in the food industry, such as climate change, obesity, cost inflation, and labor shortages. Areas of interest include alternative proteins, novel ingredients, healthy beverages, food service technologies, and personal nutrition, among others.
The Ideal Founder
Kharis Capital looks for “complete entrepreneurs” – founders who combine boldness and agility with the skills to scale in the competitive F&B market. Successful teams often consist of co-founders with complementary expertise in product development, commercialization, and execution.
Investments to Date
Since the first close of the Kharis Food Tech Fund, the firm has made four strategic investments:
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Clone (France): A company transforming online meal delivery by managing virtual restaurant brands. Clone helps restaurateurs optimize unused kitchen capacity to generate additional revenue through platforms like Uber Eats and Deliveroo.
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Agwa (Israel): This company develops autonomous, AI-powered vegetable-growing systems designed for maritime vessels. Agwa’s technology allows for year-round cultivation of chemical-free vegetables, improving the quality of life for crews at sea.
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Foodji (Germany): A Munich-based scale-up that provides fresh meal solutions for workplaces. Foodji’s smart vending machines offer employees nutritious food options 24/7, powered by a tech-enabled supply chain.
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KoRo (Germany): A leader in the European healthy snack market, KoRo excels in both direct-to-consumer (D2C) and retail. The company is expanding rapidly, leveraging innovation to bring its products into major retailers across Europe.
Looking to the Future
The foodtech landscape is shifting. Unlike a few years ago, when investment was concentrated in online grocery and delivery, innovation is now more evenly spread across the entire food value chain. Entrepreneurs are increasingly focusing on solving tangible problems rather than speculative consumer trends. For example, environmental challenges like the recent cocoa crisis have created new opportunities for sustainable solutions, such as alternative cocoa products, to reduce supply chain risks and environmental impact.
What Sets Kharis Capital Apart
Kharis Capital’s deep expertise in the F&B industry and extensive network make it unique. With over 100 years of combined experience from companies like AB InBev, Nestlé, and Cargill, the firm brings valuable operational insights to its investments. Additionally, Kharis Capital manages significant investments in both large food companies and foodservice ventures, bridging the gap between proven products and large-scale commercialization.
Advice for Founders
While every founder faces unique challenges, Kharis Capital offers three key principles for success:
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Innovate in large, profitable markets.
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Choose partners wisely, based on your company’s stage of development.
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Ensure your company has a clear path to profitability.
Kharis Capital’s hands-on approach and specialized expertise continue to drive growth and innovation in the food and beverage sector, with a strong focus on the future of food.
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