In the beginning...

We started out by launching an e-commerce where we sold groceries for the plant-based kitchen. Many of these were unique products imported from, among others, the USA and the EU, which hadn’t been available in Sweden before.

As we expanded our range and produced nutrition- and climate-calculated recipes together with professional chefs from Sweden’s culinary elite, we started to dig a bit deeper into the contents of the different products. Around 2021, when we looked more critically at what we were doing, some uncomfortable conclusions emerged.

- Basically all products tried to imitate some form of animal-based original. Cheese, meat, eggs, and every variant in between. The products were stuffed with questionable ingredients and additives, many of which had traveled around the world, all in order to reach the goal—the perfect animal-based replica and fake meat. Unsurprisingly, despite all attempts to spice away off-flavors, it neither tasted right nor good.

We can do this better

By this time, our network of chefs, nutrition specialists, and industry people had grown significantly, and when we filmed a recipe for a bean burger made from natural ingredients, we saw everything with new eyes. That's when we all realized that plant-based food isn't about creating the best meat imitation in a lab. It's about making delicious food from safe, simple ingredients.

With the conclusion that “We can do this better”, we began the work on our own product with an ambitious list of requirements for us and our chefs to get our teeth into.

Our product would need to meet the following requirements:

• It should be made from whole, Swedish ingredients that people recognize.
• It should, as much as possible, be free from additives and preservatives.
• The food product should be tasty and flavorful from the start, stand on its own, and not imitate meat.
• It should be physically durable during kitchen handling and cooking.

2022 and Stacky’s sees the light of day

So, there we were at last, with perhaps Sweden’s most visually unattractive product? However, we had managed to tick off every item on our requirements list and more. The product Stacky’s Original now also offered the following features:

• Stacky’s was sustainable in terms of climate, thanks to locally grown ingredients and a water- and energy-efficient manufacturing process.
• Stacky’s had a smart package with a shelf life of up to 6 months in the pantry, helping to reduce food waste.
• The package was also recyclable and space-efficient to avoid shipping air.
• For the product to work at all, Stacky’s was also reasonably priced—on par with meat.

We were simply ready to launch Stacky’s Original. Through our e-commerce, from the very first day, anyone with an address in Sweden could have it delivered straight to their mailbox with regular postal service. The whole team then spent days at the warehouse packing and shipping Stacky’s until our entire stock was gone.

Praised flavors—both privately and publicly

During 2022, Stacky’s Original attracts several restaurants. Even in public kitchens, eyebrows are raised and the pure flavors and qualities are praised. However, a portion-packaged slice is far from optimal for demanding school kitchens with thousands of diners every day.

The initial launch, in partnership with VEGO magazine and hand-picked social media profiles, meant that the Stacky’s slice sold well. Not in blockbuster volumes yet, but the slices would fly off the shelves during periods of more aggressive marketing.

Reinforcements from Gotland

To focus on boosting volumes to make a real impact, we brought on chef Mårten Göthberg in late summer 2022. With prior professional roles, including as CEO of the award-winning bakery Olof Viktors, Mårten has great insight into the food and food industry at large.

Product number two in the pipeline

After reviewing the needs of large kitchens, the next Stacky’s product began to take shape. At the same time, we started working on getting Stacky’s listed with all the major wholesalers, to ensure a level playing field for procurement.

From the recipe for Stacky’s Original, we created a smarter mince in a 5 kg individually quick frozen version. The mince has the same praised qualities and flavor profile as the slice.

We wrapped up 2022 with listings at Martin&Servera, and with that, municipal agreements started rolling in. The mince drives public sector work into 2023. We made our presence at wholesaler and municipal fairs and started getting into municipalities all over Sweden.

Along the way, deals were struck with several restaurants and chains, including Parks & Resorts. So you’ll find Stacky’s on the menu at Gröna Lund and Kolmårdens djurpark. The fall continued with the launch of Stacky’s in Butik ROT and Cajsa Warg in Stockholm.

2023 Strengthening in Western Sweden

To keep up the pace, we brought in another resource. Chef Johanna Thorn, with lifelong experience in food creation and a large network, took on the work toward foodservice and the public sector in Western Sweden. As the year drew to a close, we also completed our fastest contract negotiation yet—from first contact with Tomelilla municipality to product delivery at their warehouse took only ten days.

2024—The Crossed Ear of Wheat

The new year started with a new variant of the mince, which is now also certified gluten-free—making it even easier for municipalities to handle special diets.

ICA and the Food of the Future

Although a large-scale launch in the grocery trade wasn’t planned at this stage, it was hard to say no when ICA came knocking and wanted Stacky’s to be part of their “Food of the Future” project. The project aims to promote and increase sales in ICA’s plant-based food category—a surprising initiative. Of course, it’s not a quick process. But despite everything else, we managed to get it done and Stacky’s launched in April in about 30 stores across Sweden.

The meatball rolls in

Customer-driven demand in early 2024 led to a completely new product—Stacky’s meatballs, made with half Stacky’s mince and half chicken from Bjärefågel. A high-quality product that significantly reduces environmental impact compared to beef meatballs. Once you try one, it’s nearly impossible not to enjoy it.

Our change efforts and inspiring workshops in Sweden’s municipalities are finally bearing fruit, and we’re heading into fall 2024 with contracts in over 60 municipalities.

More Stacky's in everyday life

Thanks to a good relationship with Salico, Stacky’s is now also reaching people looking to make better choices on the go. Stacky’s has found its way into Picadeli’s new El Texico Burrito wrap recipe, which is sold at Pressbyrån and 7-Eleven, among others.

2025—A strong start to a year of change

At the FFCR trade fair in late January, the collaboration with Dafgårds—which we had worked on since summer 2024—was announced. The first co-produced product is a 50/50 lasagna for foodservice, and more exciting discussions are ongoing.

We’re beginning to claim our place in the industry

During our spring capital raise, we started talking about our vision to make a difference on a bigger scale. Stacky's is fantastic on its own, but imagine if we could bring together several brands, sharing essential services, and together become an investable company with greater turnover and profitability. Feel free to read the article in FoodTechWeekly here .