4impact leads Pre-Seed round in FLTRD to make ultra-processed food visible
FLTRD's app, now used by more than 35,000 people in the Netherlands, lets shoppers check whether a product is ultra-processed and find less processed alternatives.
Amsterdam, 29 October 2026
FLTRD, the Dutch foodtech start-up whose app lets shoppers scan a product in the supermarket or at home and see straight away whether it is ultra-processed, today announced a round of more than €500,000 led by 4impact capital. Several angel investors from the FMCG industry joined the round. FLTRD will use the funding to grow the team, expand to Belgium and start licensing its PureScore to food producers and retailers.
A problem on every shelf
More than 70 percent of products on Dutch supermarket shelves are ultra-processed. UPFs are designed to tempt, are backed by strong marketing and are often on promotion, so they are easy to buy and hard to recognise. In November 2025, a series in The Lancet linked the growing share of UPFs in diets worldwide to the rise in chronic disease. Policymakers are responding. In July, the European Commission asked its scientific advisers how the EU should define ultra-processed food, and their advice is expected in March 2027. The Commission also approached FLTRD co-founder Anke Kuik for her expertise.
"The fact that UPFs are now on the European agenda is an important step. It shows this isn't a passing trend, but a problem that calls for a structural response."
Anke Kuik, Co-Founder of FLTRD
The PureScore
FLTRD built the PureScore, an independent, science-based rating of how processed a product is. It looks at three components:
- Ingredients: added sugars, fats, salt and additives, as well as refined ingredients stripped of their nutrients.
- Processing techniques: heating, hydrogenation, extrusion and other processes that change the natural structure of food.
- Organic certification: organic products score higher because they contain fewer pesticide residues.
The app now covers more than 150,000 products from seven supermarkets and is used by more than 35,000 people on iPhone and Android. The ambition is for 100 million people to shop with the PureScore within five years.
"In France, one in three people already uses a similar app. That's a clear sign people want more insight and guidance. This investment allows us to bring in the people we need to accelerate. We're expanding to Belgium before the end of the year, and we'll be licensing the PureScore to food producers and retailers. We believe everyone has the right to understand the impact of what they eat."
Anke Kuik, Co-Founder of FLTRD
Why 4impact invested
As the EU works out how to define and regulate UPFs, verifiable product data is shifting from a consumer nice-to-have to a commercial requirement. FLTRD is well positioned for that shift, with both a consumer audience and a licensable B2B data layer.
"The European debate on ultra-processed food signals a structural shift in the market. As the European Commission explores which policy frameworks are needed, transparency is becoming a commercial priority for the food sector. Our investment is directly tied to that shift. FLTRD has the data and the methodology to objectively measure a product's degree of processing, at exactly the moment verifiable product information is becoming a firm market requirement."
Victor Straatman, Partner at 4impact capital
Industry insiders on board
The angel investors joining the round bring years of FMCG experience. One of them is Jeroen Lubbers, who now invests in healthy food initiatives after a long career in the sector.
"I've followed FLTRD since day one, so I'm glad to finally come on board. The demand is there, from consumers and within the industry itself. I believe change has to come from within, and that starts with being honest about what's in a product."
Jeroen Lubbers, Angel Investor
Download the app
Check whether your groceries are ultra-processed and find better alternatives.
