Food Entrepreneur SOMERVILLE, MASS. — Tender Food Inc. has raised over $11 million in a Series A funding round, led by Rhapsody Venture Partners. Existing investors included Lowercarbon Capital and Safar Partners along with new investors Claridge Partners and Nor’easter Ventures.

Tender Food was founded in 2020 by Harvard engineers Christophe Chantre, Luke Macqueen, Grant Gonzalez and Kevin Kit Parker. The food technology company uses a technology that spins plant fibers to create whole cuts of alternative meat. 

The funding will help the company scale capacity at its new facility and commercialize its first products at scale in addition to lowering production costs, according to the company. 

“Our production costs are already low today and we have barely started scaling,” Chantre said. “Offering products that compete with animal meat on price is critical for this industry to grow. Tender's technology solves this major challenge and will unlock tremendous industry growth.”

Tender also recently partnered with Clover Food Lab, a vegetarian fast-food chain in Massachusetts, to bring its products to all Clover locations in May 2024. Tender currently sells its products, including beef short rib, pulled pork, chicken breast and crab in restaurants and universities around Boston. 

Mike Messersmith, former president, North America at Oatly, also recently joined the company’s board of directors. 


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