Case Study: Umi­a­mi Boosts Sales and Cus­tomer En­able­ment with Cibus Nex­um’s Pro­cess­ing Mar­ket Scan

The Challenge: Helping Buyers Work with a New Product Format  

Umiami (now called Swap Foods), a French food tech startup specialising in whole-cut plant-based chicken, has made a significant impact on the alt-protein market. They offer a clean-label solution that mimics the taste and texture of real meat. Unlike many plant-based brands, Umiami does not prioritise branding or packaging. Instead, they sell unbranded whole cuts directly to foodservice clients, including commercial kitchens, institutional buyers, and out-of-home channels.

This approach saves the company time and resources on retail-focused product development and branding. However, it also posed a challenge: how to help their B2B clients use these whole cuts effectively. Buyers required guidance on how to handle the product, whether slicing, dicing, battering, frying, or portioning it for various foodservice uses. Umiami also needed insights into where these processing tasks could take place in case clients wanted to outsource that step.

The Cibus Nexum Solution: A Focused Processing Ability Market Scan  

To support Umiami and its potential buyers, Cibus Nexum conducted a focused market scan in the EU. We aimed to identify processing capabilities in the Benelux, Germany, France, and the Nordics, where whole cuts could be further prepared for foodservice.

✔ Anonymous Market Scan – Identifying reliable processing partners who could handle tasks like slicing, grill-marking, frying, portioning, and even turning whole cuts into ready meals or salads.  

✔ “Menu Card” for Sales Teams – Creating an overview of practical processing options that Umiami’s sales team could share with buyers during discussions.  

✔ Operational & Financial Insights – Providing estimated costs, lead times, and processing challenges to help foodservice clients make informed choices.  

The outcome was a practical toolkit that Umiami could use to assure potential clients that integrating the product into existing menus would go smoothly, whether they processed it in-house or outsourced it.

The Results: Faster Sales & Smarter Customer Conversations  

With the insights and tools from Cibus Nexum, Umiami’s sales team could confidently illustrate how flexible and functional the whole cuts were. The "menu card" approach lets them present a variety of application options, giving chefs and foodservice buyers clear ways to envision the product on their menus.

This sped up the sales process by eliminating decision-making obstacles and providing reassurance on costs, lead times, and technical feasibility. At the same time, Umiami gained a better understanding of processing costs and potential third-party partners. This helped their internal teams create more accurate pricing and fulfilment plans.

Why Umiami Chose Cibus Nexum

Umiami chose Cibus Nexum for our speed, network, and technical expertise. We could communicate easily with their Procurement Director, allowing us to transition quickly from brief to action. Additionally, our FoodFinder database provided immediate access to a variety of vetted contract manufacturers across Europe, saving weeks of research and outreach.

Our ability to deliver honest market feedback and practical recommendations was highly valued. Instead of just giving names, we helped Umiami rethink how processing could create new sales opportunities.

Lessons Learned: Don’t Rush to the Co-Manufacturer  

A key takeaway from this collaboration was the significance of timing. Clients, especially startups facing investor pressure, may be tempted to contact co-manufacturers too early. We learned the value of setting realistic expectations and advising clients on when to wait, so they can collect the right benchmarking data and identify the best partners based on real comparisons.

Need Help Activating a B2B Sales Strategy for New Products?  

At Cibus Nexum, we focus on connecting product innovation with commercial execution. Whether you are launching a new format or creating a B2B-first go-to-market strategy, we will help you connect with the right processing partners, prepare your sales teams, and ensure your clients are fully equipped to succeed.

Let’s collaborate to unlock your market’s full potential.