Statera Labs, the project that enables the creation of food products through bioactive ingredients

Improving eating habits is one of the major goals of many consumers. To help them, four entrepreneurs have launched the Statera Labs project, a startup that works on creating innovative products of different natures with healthy properties.

To learn about this initiative selected in the second edition of the BFFood acceleration program, which is being mentored by Iago Quintana, CEO of Dairylac, and Rubén Hidalgo, Director of CAPSA V.I.D.A (Larsa), we spoke with Alfredo Bermúdez, CEO and co-founder of Statera Labs.

How did the idea for your project come about?

Aware of the need to improve consumer nutrition and the importance of addressing certain nutritional deficits inherent to today’s lifestyle, my partner Miguel, who has nearly two decades of experience as a quality director, and I created Healthinfoods to contribute to the health and well-being of people and animals. This is how we founded Statera Labs (Healthinfoods, Equinhealth and Healthinfoods Bioactives) together with Elena Velázquez, nutritionist and food technologist, and Ángel Velázquez, a pioneer in the design and manufacture of products for special medical purposes in Spain.

Tell us, what do you bring that is new to the sector?

We bring a combination of the areas of specialization of Ángel, Miguel and Elena, leaders in the design of special food products and technical food solutions; deep scientific knowledge, which we obtain from study, constant research and collaboration with leading research groups; and a philosophy of quality, rapid response and customization capability. All of this means we provide a range of innovative products, manufactured in Spain, with BRC quality standards, without genetically modified ingredients and based on formulas supported by scientific evidence.

As an example, from the time a manufacturer commissions us to create a functional natural lemon flavor with a vitamin that strengthens the immune system to add to a batter for a children’s product, until we provide it to them, less than two weeks pass. A design, development and manufacturing process like this requires very broad knowledge and a very agile response capacity to be achieved in two weeks, something the client is aware of and values very positively.

Recently, a large Latin American manufacturer asked us for a salt and glutamate substitute for a vegan burger. We were able to design it and manufacture a batch for a trial at their factory in Chile in 12 days, with excellent acceptance by the company.

Why did you decide to apply to BFFood?

BFFood seemed to us a unique value proposition to boost the development of our company and to do so, moreover, from Galicia, where we have our headquarters. For us, the great differentiating value of this accelerator lies in the participation of the tractor companies and in the eminently practical acceleration methodology, in which we work around a challenge.

You address the healthy products and personalized nutrition challenge posed by BFFood’s tractor companies. What technologies do you use for its development?

Our proposal consists of applying pharmaceutical nanotechnology to create a highly innovative bioactive ingredient based on three compounds we know very well: turmeric, omega-3 and vitamin D. Our challenge is to create emulsions and nanospheres that allow this synergistic combination of ingredients to be incorporated into different food matrices, increasing their bioavailability and, therefore, the health benefits for the consumer. This will enable the creation of products of different natures (dairy products, waters, soft drinks, sauces, etc.) with additional healthy properties for the consumer, which will help manufacturers differentiate themselves in the market.

What is the mentoring you are receiving at the accelerator providing you?

Our mentors Iago Quintana and Rubén Hidalgo, from the tractor companies Dairylac and CAPSA FOOD (Larsa), provide us with great value. First, because we will be able to apply our development to food matrices that both companies manufacture, and second, because on a personal level, both have extensive experience working with bioactive ingredients such as omega-3 and probiotics.

What goal have you set for yourselves with your participation in BFFood?

We would like our bioactive ingredient to be fully developed and incorporated into food matrices of our mentor companies, for immediate market launch upon completion of the program. In addition, we would love to collaborate with other tractor companies in the development of some functional products with unique bioactive ingredients that we have been creating. Although our first Healthinfoods nutraceuticals are already on the market through Amazon, we also want to finalize our website and e-commerce store and position it in the European market to exploit all our business lines.

Why would you recommend BFFood to other entrepreneurs?

Because the value proposition it offers for an entrepreneur in the food sector is unique in Spain, thanks to the participation of the tractor companies throughout the acceleration process.

Finally, how would you like Statera Labs to be identified in the market?

We work with enthusiasm so that they see us as the company that provides innovative food solutions to strengthen the health and well-being of consumers.