Mars, the global food company behind brands including Snickers and M&M’s, is looking beyond its own laboratories for the next wave of product and ingredient innovation. The company has selected 13 startups for the third edition of its Unreasonable Food accelerator, with more than half of the latest cohort working in nutrition, fibre or protein.
Launched in 2024 in partnership with the Unreasonable Group, the programme supports later-stage startups developing technologies that address nutrition, food safety and sustainability challenges. Participating businesses gain access to Mars executives and experts, along with the possibility of formal commercial collaborations. The latest selection indicates that gut health and functional ingredients are becoming important areas in the company’s wider innovation pipeline.
Several startups are working directly with the gut microbiome. Superbrewed Food is developing postbiotic ingredients derived from microflora native to the microbiome, with potential applications in digestive health and protein nutrition. Myota produces prebiotic fibre blends intended to support gut health, while Holobiome is building a technology platform for discovering new microbiome-related solutions.
Other participants are exploring new sources of essential nutrients. BIOVIT develops vitamins and minerals from plants, fungi and algae for use in food fortification. Nutrition from Water uses microalgae to produce protein and other nutrient-rich ingredients. Kuli Kuli, meanwhile, works with smallholder communities to cultivate crops such as moringa, combining nutrition innovation with agricultural livelihoods.
The cohort also includes technologies that could expand the formulation options available to food manufacturers. Lasso Labs uses protein and fibre to create texture and meat-like characteristics without depending on additives or high-heat processing. Revyve develops yeast-based texturising ingredients intended to reproduce some of the functionality of eggs. Such solutions could help manufacturers improve texture, diversify protein sources and reduce dependence on conventional raw materials.
Amanda Davies, Chief R&D, Commercial and Sustainability Officer for Mars Snacking, said the company aims to create better snacks while advancing innovation across the food system, from soil to snack. The programme’s scope shows that this ambition extends beyond finished products to the ingredients, data and manufacturing systems behind them.
Some selected businesses are focused on proving rather than merely promoting health benefits. Radicle Science carries out large-scale, placebo-controlled trials on wellness products, helping companies build evidence for health-related claims. FoodHealth evaluates products using measures such as nutrient density and ingredient quality. These capabilities are becoming more relevant as consumers and regulators demand stronger substantiation for functional and wellness positioning.
Food safety and sustainability are also part of the programme. SporeBio is developing artificial-intelligence technology designed to detect factory-floor contamination within minutes. HowGood maintains a sustainability database that helps brands assess the environmental footprint of ingredients, while Without is working to convert multilayer plastics and mixed textiles into higher-value recycled materials.
By bringing these companies into one accelerator, Mars is treating innovation as an ecosystem rather than a closed internal process. The initiative gives startups a route to scale while offering Mars early access to technologies that may reshape nutrition, product formulation, food safety and packaging. It also shows how large food businesses are increasingly using external partnerships to move faster in emerging categories.