FoodOp, a SaaS platform positioned as a co-pilot for professional kitchens, has raised €5m to support its international expansion.

The round was led by US venture capital company MK Capital, with participation of existing investor The Footprint Fund.

Founded in 2021, FoodOp plans to use the proceeds to strengthen its presence in the UK and enter the US market.

The Denmark-based company uses AI-driven automation to facilitate kitchen workflows for professional chefs and kitchen teams. The platform is used for menu planning and publishing, procurement management, and sustainability reporting from a single system.

It counts contract caterers and hotel groups across the Nordics and the UK among its clients and says more than 2,000 chefs in over 700 professional kitchens use the platform daily.

FoodOp co-founder and CEO Nichlas Saul said: “Menu management systems are not new, but when 70% of kitchens still rely on pen and paper, it’s clear that existing solutions haven’t been accessible and intuitive enough.

“Our role model is Canva. Canva made design accessible to everyone, not just specialists. FoodOp does the same for kitchens; giving every chef a simple, intuitive way to save time, reduce costs, and focus on great culinary experiences.”

The company also plans to expand its workforce. It expects to double its team over the next 12 months to support growth and continue product development for professional kitchens.

Commenting on the investment, MK Capital managing partner Mark Koulogeorge said: “Foodservice is one of the largest and least digitised industries globally, and FoodOp is uniquely positioned to change that.

“We believe FoodOp has the potential to become the Canva for professional kitchens and a category-defining company.”