Food Design Lab

What Food Design Lab does

Food Design Lab is a Lisbon-based food innovation studio that applies a proprietary Food Design methodology combining gastronomy, design thinking, and sustainability to deliver consultancy, experiential events, education and training, and content creation services. The studio was founded in 2023 as a spin-off from Imppacto, Catering & Eventos, and operates from Quinta da Pimenteira in Monsanto, Lisbon, with a five-person team co-led by Ricardo Bonacho, André Gerardo, and Lucinda Pinto.

The company's core offering centers on interdisciplinary food concept development — from branded sensory experiences (e.g., Azul Klein, The Gilded Bite) to curriculum co-design and conference programming. Its products are not technology platforms but rather human-led creative deliverables: bespoke food concepts, immersive dining installations, educational programs co-developed with academic partners (ELISAVA Barcelona, Egas Moniz, IADE), and content collaborations for F&B and luxury brands. Recognition at the Hospitality Education Awards (2023) and ongoing work with global brands such as Coca-Cola, Rose Key, and GIRA position the studio as a specialized boutique rather than a scaled agency.

Food Design Lab generates revenue through project-based professional services fees across four streams: consultancy for F&B and luxury clients, paid experiential events, academic and corporate training programs, and branded content. Its go-to-market leverages academic partnerships and industry events (Dare2Change, Luxury Summit 2025) as distribution channels, while the FORK Organization consortium provides a category-defining platform. Customer segments span luxury hospitality, global FMCG, agriculture, beauty, design, and higher education, distributed across Portugal, Spain, and select international engagements.

Name

Food Design Lab

Legal name

Food Design Lab

Website

https://fooddesignlab.pt

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Food Design Lab is a Lisbon-based food innovation studio combining gastronomy, design thinking, and sustainability to deliver consultancy, experiential events, education, and content services for F&B, luxury, and academic clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Culinary Design Services

NAICS

Special Food Services (7223), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Dietary Catering (Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Allergen-Free, Medical) (THAHAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Menu Planning, Nutrition & Dietary Accommodation Services (Allergens, Special Diets) (EDAEAEAD)

Keywords

• Culinary experience design
• Food product development
• Gastronomic consulting
• Food design education
• Multisensory dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consultancy Services: Customized culinary solutions, menu development, food product development, packaging and branding services for food brands and hospitality businesses.
2. Experiential Events: Immersive gastronomic experiences, fine dining concept development, pop-up events, and bespoke culinary performances for corporate and luxury clients.
3. Education and Training: Workshops, courses, and masterclasses on food design, gastronomic trends, and culinary innovation delivered in partnership with universities and design schools.
4. Content Creation: Food photography, videography, food styling, and gastronomic content development for brand activation and digital campaigns.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Food Design Lab is a Lisbon-based food innovation studio that designs and delivers immersive gastronomic experiences (pop-ups, fine dining concepts, sensory installations) and food product development services (recipes, menus, packaging, branding) for corporate clients, food brands, and luxury hospitality. It operates two pillars — 'Food as Entertainment' (experiential dining and performances) and 'Food as Purpose' (product development, consultancy, research, and training) — combined with education programs delivered in partnership with European universities.

Product overview

Food Design Lab Lisbon operates as a food innovation studio and experimental laboratory offering a comprehensive suite of services including immersive dining experiences, food product development, branding and packaging, gastronomic research and trend analysis, and professional training. The company delivers its offerings through two service pillars: 'Food as Entertainment' (gastronomic experiences, fine dining concepts, pop-up events, and culinary performances) and 'Food as Purpose' (food product development, consulting, and sustainable solutions). Their portfolio includes branded projects such as Nutri2Sustain (alternative protein ready-meals), M3X (Mexican dining concept), MAC (Edible Seaweed Museum educational platform), and signature experiences like Luxury Summit 2025 and Azul Klein. Educational programs through workshops and courses complement the service offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gastronomic Experiences
• Food Product Development Custom recipe creation, menu development, and culinary product innovation services for food brands, agricultural producers, and food manufacturers. Includes regenerative-agriculture recipes, alternative-protein ready meals, and ingredient-led product design.
• Branding and Packaging Packaging design and brand identity services for food products and culinary concepts, combining communication design expertise with food design methodology.
• Food Research and Trend Analysis Food research, gastronomic trend analysis, and market insight services used to inform client innovation strategies, menu development, and product positioning.
• Workshops, Courses and Masterclasses Educational programs on food design, gastronomic trends, and edible methodologies, delivered in collaboration with universities and design schools (ESHTE, ESAD Matosinhos, ELISAVA Barcelona, CETT). Includes Food Design Course Level I/II, masterclasses, and 'Edible Methodologies' programs.
• Consulting and Training Services Advisory services for food innovation, sustainability, and culinary strategy, plus corporate training for hospitality and food industry professionals.
• Food Content Creation Food styling, food photography, gastronomic video production, and food storytelling for brand activations and digital campaigns.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• FORK OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2024FORK (Food Design for Opportunities, Research and Knowledge) is a non-profit co-founded by Ricardo Bonacho. FDL collaborates with FORK on bootcamps, conferences (EFOOD), and international projects promoting food design for sustainable food systems.
• Vivid FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2024Vivid Farms collaborates with FDL and FORK on bootcamps and recipe development showcasing regenerative agriculture ingredients. FDL creates recipes celebrating Vivid Farms' produce with zero-waste and food design principles.
• ELISAVA Barcelona School of Design and EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration protocol for final course projects in Food Design, focusing on food design as an agent of change for agrifood systems. Joint initiatives include EFOOD conference, B(i)tes exhibition, and Design for Food Systems workshops.
• Egas Moniz School of Health & SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProtocol of collaboration for the new Bachelor's Degree in Gastronomy launching in 2025/2026 academic year.
• Imppacto, Catering & EventoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and key partner. FDL originated from Imppacto and maintains close collaboration on events, team building, and pop-up experiences. Imppacto provides catering infrastructure and operational support.
• Chefs AgencysecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for experiential gastronomic events including The Art of Tasting Portugal (Vindima) and A Table for You for Coca-Cola experiences.
• Lift ConsultingsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerAgency partner for Coca-Cola brand activations, including the 'A Table for You: Taste It for Coca-Cola' experience.
• Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril (ESHTE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Food Design education and research. Maria João Leite lectures at ESHTE's Master's in Culinary Arts Innovation. MAC project developed with MIACC students.
• Universidade EuropeiasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRicardo Bonacho is assistant professor coordinating Hospitality Management degree. Collaboration on podcast celebrations and academic projects.
• Faculdade de Belas-Artes da Universidade de LisboasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Eno-Label Gastronomic Experience and Pan con Tomate workshop. Collaboration on sensory cocktail experiences engaging all five senses.
• Portugal FoodssecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerFood Design Lab participates in Dare2Change conference organized by Portugal Foods, focusing on agri-food sector innovation.
• Câmara Municipal de CascaissecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Cultura à Mesa events and team building activities at Quinta do Pisão in Cascais.
• Câmara Municipal de SintrasecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Aromatic Herbs workshop focusing on local herbs and sustainable food practices.
• GrohesecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Salus Per Aquam immersive experience inspired by wellness and water themes.
• Mugaritz RestaurantsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Edible Methodologies creative program bringing innovative food design approaches to hospitality education.
• CETT BarcelonasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Edible Methodologies workshops and Gastronomic Trends programs in Barcelona.
• ESAD MatosinhossecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Food Design Course Level I delivering foundational food design education.
• Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do PortosecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Food Design Course Level 1 in Porto region.
• Continente (Sonae)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerRicardo Bonacho presented FDL's operating model at Co-Lab: Laboratório de Inovação to Continent's innovation team and Producers' Club.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Basque Culinary Center: San Sebastian-based gastronomy faculty and research center founded by leading chefs including Joan Roca. Comparable mission of integrating gastronomy, research, and education — offering FDL an analogous model at larger scale.
• Mugaritz: Andoni Luis Aduriz's avant-garde restaurant in the Basque Country, established as a culinary R&D laboratory. Listed as a strategic partner of Food Design Lab, with overlapping focus on experimental gastronomy, food design methodology, and educational programs.
• Foodpairing: Food innovation company combining behavioral science, AI, and culinary expertise to help brands develop new food and beverage products. Direct overlap with FDL's food product development and trend analysis services, though more science/technology-oriented.
• Atelier des Sens: Parisian culinary school and event studio offering gastronomic workshops, chef training, and bespoke culinary experiences. Comparable in culinary education and experiential gastronomy offerings, with a more consumer-facing workshop model.
• Studio Appétit: New York-based experiential food design studio creating immersive brand experiences, staged events, and food installations for premium clients. Highly comparable in service offering (immersive gastronomic experiences, brand activations, food styling) and target market.
• Kitchen Theory: London-based food design studio by chef Jozef Youssef that runs an experimental supper club and consulting practice. Direct comparable in the food design studio model, with strong overlap in experimentation, multisensory dining, and culinary R&D.
• The Robin Collective: London-based experiential food and drink agency producing immersive dining concepts, pop-ups, and brand activations. Direct rival in the niche of bespoke gastronomic experiences for brands and luxury audiences.
• elBullifoundation: Ferran Adrià's foundation for culinary research and innovation, focused on documenting and advancing avant-garde cuisine. Parallel to FDL's academic and food design mission, with deeper IP and longer track record in culinary innovation.

Broad incumbents

• IDEO: Global design consultancy with a food and beverage practice that helps brands create new products and experiences. Significantly larger and broader than FDL, but competes in the same intersection of design thinking, food innovation, and brand strategy.
• EHL (École hôtelière de Lausanne): Swiss hospitality and culinary school with a research and innovation arm. Comparable in combining culinary education with industry-facing research and consulting, though primarily operating in the French-speaking European market rather than Iberia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/food-design-lab
• Instagraminstagram.com/fooddesignlab.lisbon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Food Design Lab