Founded in 2019, La Vie successfully raised €25 million (approximately $27.4 million) from a diverse group of investors, including the Berlin-based venture capital fund Zintinus and the Portuguese food investor Sparkfood. This latest funding round brings La Vie’s total funding to €50 million, enabling them to expand their reach and capabilities.
“With the backing of our investors, we will continue our mission and keep innovating, without compromising on taste,” stated La Vie CEO and co-founder Nicolas Schweitzer, highlighting the company’s commitment to quality and innovation in the competitive plant-based food market.
In addition to the financial investment, La Vie also announced the appointment of Arnaud Bachelier, former CFO of France’s MOM Group, as the new chairman. Bachelier expressed confidence in the company’s trajectory, stating, “They have the qualities to strongly contribute to the transition of making food more plant-based and to make La Vie an iconic brand in this journey. This new fundraising gives them the means to achieve it.” His leadership is expected to guide La Vie as they strive for greater impact in the plant-based sector.
It is noteworthy that approximately fifty percent of La Vie’s sales are generated in France. The company maintains a presence in ten European countries and distributes its products through renowned retailers such as Tesco in the United Kingdom and Carrefour in France. Furthermore, La Vie supplies its products to prominent clients in the foodservice industry, including fast-food giant Burger King, and provides ingredients to food-to-go manufacturers like Greencore.
In a recent interview, Schweitzer projected the company’s net sales for 2024 to reach approximately €15 million. Though La Vie has not yet achieved profitability, he optimistically forecasts that the company will break even by 2026, targeting sales of “at least €50 million.”
“There is a plan [for] higher. The minimum is €50 million,” Schweitzer confidently stated. This ambition reflects La Vie’s strategic focus on expanding its market share in the rapidly growing plant-based food industry.