PINC, the venture arm of global food corporation Paulig, has successfully led a €2.73 million investment round in Swedish AgriTech startup BlueRedGold, in collaboration with The Food Tech Lab and PolarVentures. This funding will enable BlueRedGold to leverage advanced robotics and artificial intelligence to expedite the development of the world’s first scalable indoor system for saffron farming.
This investment aligns with Paulig’s commitment to shaping the future of food and enhances its leadership position in sustainability. Moreover, it supports PINC in championing innovative FoodTech solutions with global applicability.
“Saffron is one of the most culturally significant and economically valuable spices on the planet, but its production is fragile, inconsistent, and facing growing sustainability challenges,” stated Erika Hombert, senior investment manager at PINC. “BlueRedGold’s approach introduces automation, predictability, and quality to a supply chain we understand well—offering a complementary path forward for future production.”
BlueRedGold’s innovative system replicates optimal growing conditions indoors, allowing for multiple cultivation cycles each year. It automates the complex processes involved in saffron flower picking and stigma separation. The investment will be utilized to construct a pioneering blueprint facility—a modular plant designed for immediate profitability.
“This isn’t just a pilot—it’s a blueprint we can replicate globally,” Hombert emphasized. “The demand for saffron is already significant—not only from food producers but also from the rapidly expanding medical and nutraceutical sectors. We aim to fulfill this need with quality, consistency, and scalability.”
With several tonnes of saffron requested by the nutraceutical, food, and cosmetics industries, BlueRedGold’s strong market traction reveals the potential for transforming saffron supply. As a market leader in the spice category through its Santa Maria brand, Paulig is devoted to delivering exceptional saffron that satisfies the expectations of customers and consumers who appreciate its unique flavor and vibrant color. Saffron enhances various recipes, including fish dishes, paella, and the traditional saffron buns enjoyed in Sweden during St. Lucia Day.
For BlueRedGold CEO Nastaran Baleng-Soultani, the partnership with PINC and Paulig transcends mere capital.
“We’re extremely excited to be supported by this strategic investor consortium. Partnering with PINC means engaging with a team that deeply understands food, flavor, and supply chain dynamics. Their strategic insights and global reach through Paulig are invaluable as we take this next step,” said Baleng-Soultani. “This investment empowers us to scale production and meet the untapped global demand—with quality and reliability at the core.”
To support this next phase of growth, Andrei Boulescu has recently joined BlueRedGold as CTO and head of automation & production. A seasoned expert in AI-driven automation and complex production systems, Boulescu brings experience from global leaders such as Huawei, Airbus, and Innotek. He joins the existing A-list team, which includes seasoned entrepreneur and CEO Nastaran Baleng-Soultani and visionary founder and chief innovation officer Mikael Öhman.
