The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Taxpayer, Stephen Tindall chip in as chicken-free chicken maker raises $10 million

Chris Keall
By Chris Keall
Technology Editor/Senior Business Writer·NZ Herald·
15 Nov, 2018 04:43 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Sunfed Foods co-founder Shama Lee poses with a burger featuring Chicken-Free Chicken. Photo / Supplied.

Sunfed Foods co-founder Shama Lee poses with a burger featuring Chicken-Free Chicken. Photo / Supplied.

"Chicken-Free Chicken" maker Sunfed Foods says it has raised $10 million in a Series A funding found.

The Auckland-based startup sells a chicken-substitute made from chickpeas.

The round was led by Australian venture capital fund Blackbird Ventures, which now holds an 11 per cent stake.

Sir Stephen Tindall's K1W1 fund (5 per cent) and the taxpayer - via the Crown-backed New Zealand Venture Investment Fund, which now owns 1.4% - also participated in the round.

Sunfed co-founders Shama and Hayden Lee remain the largest shareholders with a combined 58 per cent stake.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The pair offered no financials today, but say their Chicken Free Chicken product has proven itself in both major supermarket chains and will shortly be followed by a new Bull-Free Beef product that they say will have a "realistic meaty texture."

Bacon-Free Bacon is also on the way.

The Series A funds will be used to increase production and to expand into Australia, the Shama Lee says.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Air New Zealand recently caused controversy by putting the imitation beef Impossible Burger on its inflight menu.

National's Nathan Guy took offence on behalf of the red meat industry, but social media reaction was broadly positive.

New Sunfed investor Tindall says, "As eating habits change and as desire increases for greater choice when selecting sources of food, we see alternative proteins like Sunfed playing a large part in consumers' lives. We are very excited to be able to play a part in the Sunfed journey."

Blackbird Ventures partner Samantha Wong says, "We have been studying the future of food for some time and it is a theme we are extremely excited to be investing in. We found Shama's mission-driven approach and relentless focus on the customer has resulted in a product that even the most committed carnivores would enjoy. We look forward to more people around the world being able to enjoy Sunfed."

Discover more

Agribusiness

Chicken without the chicken flying off the shelves

12 Nov 06:57 PM
Companies

Complaint over 'chicken free chicken'

16 Nov 03:53 AM
Business

Kiwis creating mozzarella, no animals required

08 Apr 05:00 PM
Business

Chicken-free Chicken maker Sunfed invades Australia

19 Jun 07:37 PM
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Rural business

The Country

T&G Global profit up amid booming apple sales

Premium
The Country

Why gas shortages could halt production at key NZ fertiliser plant

The Country

Canterbury firm keeps craft wool processing in NZ


Sponsored

Revealed: The night driving ‘red flag’

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rural business

T&G Global profit up amid booming apple sales
The Country

T&G Global profit up amid booming apple sales

T&G's Envy apples had a strong season, outperforming in key markets.

08 Aug 01:09 AM
Premium
Premium
Why gas shortages could halt production at key NZ fertiliser plant
The Country

Why gas shortages could halt production at key NZ fertiliser plant

07 Aug 05:00 AM
Canterbury firm keeps craft wool processing in NZ
The Country

Canterbury firm keeps craft wool processing in NZ

06 Aug 09:31 PM


Revealed: The night driving ‘red flag’
Sponsored

Revealed: The night driving ‘red flag’

04 Aug 11:37 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP