Food is life. It’s about our upbringing, memories and heritage. But Roman Plewka says food needs to change.
“I had never considered a career in the food industry,” says Plewka, co-founder of Formo, a German company that is rethinking cheese. “But my love for food — whether it’s trying out different restaurants or cooking something special — is rooted in the way I was raised.”
Sustainable cheese alternatives
There are many plant-based cheese alternatives available today, but the founders of Formo say most of them are not stretchy enough or don’t melt well like real cheese. This is where Koji enters the equation. Koji is a type of mold, or fungal microorganism, used in Asian cuisine for thousands of years to transform rice into sake or soybeans and wheat into soy sauce.
Formo uses Koji as a protein to help its cheese substitute have a good taste and texture. The company uses micro fermentation to turn Koji into a protein. The result is a product with the same nutritional value, functionality and flavour as cheese made from milk.
No need for the cow
The idea for Formo got started about eight years ago, when Plewka joined a venture capital firm focused on food. He started trying to figure out something new that he could create.
“Food brings me a lot of joy, but at some point I started considering its impact on society, animal welfare and the planet,” says Plewka. “The more I thought about it, the more I realised that we have to break the narrative: sustainable food versus indulgence.”
Formo offers two main products: a cream cheese-style spreadable curd called Frishchain and a Brie-style soft cheese called Camembritzand. By offering a nutritious and tasty product that also is sustainable, the company helps people and the planet.
“Formo’s technology reduces the environmental footprint of food value chains, and contributes to climate change mitigation,” says Diogo Machado Mendes, an economist at the European Investment Bank who worked on the project.
Scaling up smart ideas
To help meet the growing demand for protein-rich dairy substitutes, the European Investment Bank signed a €35 million loan with Formo in January 2025.
“This project supports the EU's Farm to Fork Strategy, which promotes the transition to more sustainable food systems,” adds Machado Mendes. “It's one of the reasons we stand behind it.”
Backed by the European Union’s InvestEU guarantee programme, the EIB investment enables Formo to continue developing its fermentation processes and produce more alternatives to products such as milk and eggs.
“It’s a clear indication of our growing role in the bioeconomy,” says Alberto Casorati, the loan officer overseeing this initiative at the European Investment Bank. “Formo is bringing an innovative, sustainable product to the EU market, catering to a broad range of consumers, including those who are lactose intolerant or follow a vegan diet."
Climate-friendly food system
Formo’s goal is to help build a more resilient, climate-friendly food system that meet the needs of people who are concerned about the impact of food on the planet.
The European Investment Bank is helping companies like Formo move from the idea stage to the market, with new technologies and processes that nurture a sustainable ecosystem.
“If Europe keeps innovating at a faster pace, it will attract many more startups,” Plewka says. “It is a massive opportunity.”
FORMO (IEU GT2)
R&D activities and production capacity expansion to launch substitutes of dairy and egg products based on precision fermentation.
