What if honey could be made without bees—and still taste just like the real thing? In this episode of FoodTech Junkies Sharon Cittone speaks with Darko Mandich, CEO and co-founder of MeliBio, about disrupting a $10B industry with science, sustainability, and storytelling.

This isn’t just a conversation about alternative ingredients—it’s about rethinking how we produce food in a way that works better for the planet, for pollinators, and for people. From navigating skeptics to building partnerships that scale impact, Darko shares what it takes to launch a biotech startup that’s breaking conventions and opening minds. Whether you’re into food tech, sustainability, or just love a good founder story—this one’s for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Food Systems Complexity

00:13 Meet the Host and Guest

00:31 Reinventing Honey Without Bees

01:08 Darko’s Journey and Company Vision

02:12 The Science Behind Bee-Free Honey

06:56 Challenges and Market Perception

07:58 Engaging with Skeptics and Traditionalists

17:32 The Reality of Fake Honey

23:38 Personal Journeys and Food System Dependencies

30:59 Building a Food Tech Company on a Budget

37:21 Partnerships and Market Expansion

41:52 Future Vision and Final Thoughts

About Darko Mandich

Darko started his career in the European food industry in 2012 and worked on managing and growing honey companies in more than 5 countries. By pursuing his dream to reinvent the honey industry and make it sustainable, Darko immigrated from Serbia to the United States in 2019 to launch MeliBio.

Darko is now an impact entrepreneur on a mission to sustainably feed 10B+ people with delicious and nutritious foods while saving Planet's keystone species - wild and native bees.

Darko is passionate about the future of food and ways to advance science to make the food system sustainable, scalable and animal-free.

In this episode of FoodTech Junkies, host Sharon Cittone sits down with Miriam Ueberall, a seasoned leader with 24 years of experience in the food industry, for a compelling conversation on the systemic changes needed to future-proof our food systems. Miriam shares her insights on the challenges of innovation, the importance of DEI, and the urgent need for consumer-centric sustainability.

Together, they explore how corporates and startups can forge stronger collaborations, why digitalization is a game-changer, and how leadership and company culture play pivotal roles in driving transformation. From balancing taste and nutrition with sustainability to preparing the next generation of food leaders, this episode is packed with inspiration, real talk, and forward-looking ideas.

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About Miriam: Miriam is a seasoned Food Tech Expert and Senior R&D Leader with over 24 years of experience in advancing the food industry through innovation and technology. She has worked in leadership roles across various multinational FMCG companies, ranging from Unilever to Kraft Heinz to Flora Food group. A visionary at heart, Miriam combines a deep understandingof food science, technology, and consumer and market trends to craft forward-thinking strategies that address today’s most complex globalchallenges. With a strong belief that human-centric leadership is key to drive sustainable growth, Miriam brings a track record of delivering market growth via innovation and renovation, pipeline building, organizational transformation, and driving portfolio efficiencies. A staunch advocate for honest and trusted multi-party partnerships, Miriam is convinced that true breakthroughs in food tech can only occur when diverse stakeholders and players across the value chain collaborate transparently, bringing their unique expertise and perspectives to the table, and commit to aligned objectives.

As a passionate champion of female empowerment and allyship, Miriam actively works to create inclusive, supportive environments where women can thrive and unleash theirbest self.

Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introduction to the Podcast

• 00:32 – Meet Miriam Ueberall: A Powerhouse in Food Innovation

• 01:06 – Miriam’s Journey in the Food Industry

• 03:07 – Challenges and Systemic Transformation in the Food Industry

• 07:24 – The Role of Leadership and Partnerships

• 18:10 – Innovation in R&D and Addressing Consumer Needs

• 24:46 – Consumer Education and Building Trust

• 28:47 – Defining Sustainability in the Food Industry

• 29:59 – Practical Steps for Integrating Sustainability

• 34:06 – The Role of Government and Policy in Driving Change

• 36:39 – Leadership and Company Culture in the Food Business

• 41:55 – Grooming the Next Generation of Food Leaders

• 44:54 – The Future of Female Leadership and Inclusivity

• 49:29 – Future Trends and Technologies in Food

• 52:08 – Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the FoodTech Junkies Podcast, Sharon Cittone sits down with Marc Coloma, CEO and co-founder of Heura, to explore the intersection of activism, innovation, and food system transformation. From his early roots in social justice to building one of Europe’s fastest-growing plant-based food companies, Marc shares the driving forces behind Heura’s mission to fix what he calls “the most broken industry in the world.” They unpack the inefficiencies of traditional animal agriculture, the power of tech-enabled alternatives, and the urgent need for policy reform. Marc also addresses the consumer myths still surrounding plant-based foods and how Heura is working to shift both perception and policy.

Whether you’re a foodtech founder, policymaker, or just curious about the future of protein, this episode offers insight, clarity, and inspiration.

Timestamps

[00:27] Marc shares his journey from grassroots activism to entrepreneurship, and how that path led to founding a mission-driven food tech company.

[04:02] They unpack the true cost of our current food system and how Heura is working to address those inefficiencies.

[07:58] Marc speaks candidly about the challenges facing the plant-based industry, from consumer misconceptions to navigating media narratives.

[15:33] He offers a look into the innovations driving Heura’s product development and where he sees the category heading next.

[26:52] The conversation turns to the policy landscape and why structural change is just as critical as product innovation.

[33:04] They also explore how technology—from fermentation to AI—is accelerating the protein transition.

[45:33] In a quick-fire lightning round, Marc shares his hot takes on the most promising trends in food tech.

[48:55] The episode wraps with final thoughts and how listeners can stay connected.

From challenging Big Meat to advocating for a fairer food system, Marc Coloma brings bold thinking and sharp insights to the mic.

About Marc Coloma

CEO, Co-founder and food activist at Heura Foods

Marc Coloma is food activist and CEO at Heura. Born in Barcelona in 1991, Marc has been involved in social activism since he was just 16 years old. In 2015 he decided to take part in an entrepreneurship program to create solutions to the problems in the current food system. His aim was, and is still to bring attractive solutions, and thus make livestock obsolete. In 2017, after extensive research, Heura was created and launched into the Spanish Market, with the mission to contribute to the construction of a net positive and healthier food system.

To date, Heura has positioned itself as the fastest-growing plant-based meat company in Europe and the market leader in Spain, with a 26% market share. Heura also leads in consumer acquisition, not only being the brand with the highest penetration but also with the highest repeat rate (50%).

In the last seven years Heura has not only stood out for the development of vegetable meat products but also for being a technological leader, with 25% of its workforce (out of a total of 100) dedicated to R&D. This has led to the creation of the Good Rebel Tech technology platform in order to develop technologies aimed at solving current technological limitations and increasing the nutritional value, naturalness, taste and sustainability of all the company's products.

The work in this field has culminated in the development of the first patent in April 2023, which has obtained a positive opinion report from the European Patent Office.

Marc Coloma's contribution to transforming the food model has been recognized by several organizations. In 2018, he received the CVC Young Innovator Award. In 2019, Forbes recognised him as the best entrepreneur of the year, and the magazine Emprendedores and AIJEC named him the best entrepreneur of the year. In 2021, Marc and Bernat were named to Forbes' “100 other fortunes” for their positive impact on the world.