Mars and Unreasonable Group selected 13 food-tech ventures for the 2026 Unreasonable Food cohort, seeking to support innovation in functional nutrition, protein, food safety and sustainable packaging. The work of Unreasonable Food cohort members could help shape future products for vending, micro markets and convenience retail.

The cohort includes companies working on prebiotic and postbiotic ingredients, alternative proteins, food fortification and ingredient functionality. Mars said it selected the 2026 companies around six areas: gut health; nutrition and ingredient innovation; protein; data and wellness platforms; food safety; and circularity.

Superbrewed Food is developing postbiotic ingredients to provide digestive-health benefits and protein nutrition. Myota is developing blends of prebiotic fibers, while Biovit produces vitamins and minerals derived from plants and fungi for food fortification.

Other ventures are addressing texture and protein functionality. Lasso Labs is developing fiber-based technology designed to create meat-like textures, while Revyve produces yeast-based ingredients intended to provide emulsifying, gelling and binding functions traditionally associated with eggs.

Nutrition from Water uses microalgae fermentation to produce complete protein. Kuli Kuli, another cohort member, markets products made with moringa and has distribution in 11,000 U.S. stores, according to Mars.

The cohort also includes technology companies focused on product information and validation. FoodHealth scores foods based on nutrient density and ingredient quality. HowGood provides sustainability data for food ingredients. Radicle Science conducts placebo-controlled trials of supplements and wellness products.

Food safety is another focus. Spore Bio is developing technology designed to detect manufacturing contamination within minutes rather than days.

The final area represented in the cohort is circularity. Without develops recycled materials from multilayer plastics and mixed textiles.

The 2026 group is the third cohort since Mars and Unreasonable Group launched the program in 2024. While announcing the newest additions, Mars reported that companies in the first Unreasonable Food cohort have generated nearly $200 million in additional revenue since entering the program in 2024. The company also reported environmental and food-access results from the participating ventures.