Metafoodx, a San Jose-based AI food operations company, has secured $9.4 million in funding to scale its technology aimed at dramatically reducing food waste in commercial kitchens. The funding round, led by Trustbridge Partners with participation from BlueRun Ventures and ScalableVision Capital, will support the company’s 3D AI scanning platform that addresses inefficiencies in food service operations.
The startup tackles a substantial environmental and economic challenge: the food service industry’s tendency to overproduce by 20-30%, contributing to an estimated $382 billion in wasted food annually. This waste occurs as restaurants and institutional kitchens struggle with forecasting demand and tracking consumption patterns in real-time.
“The magic behind Metafoodx is our ability to tackle food waste at its source,” said Fengmin Gong, co-founder and CEO. “We’ve made it incredibly easy for operators to use data from their own kitchens to improve ordering, food prep and serving to reduce their waste by 90%.”
Metafoodx: How the technology works
The company’s core technology is a 3D AI scanner that captures an item’s image, weight, and temperature within seconds. The system links this data to menu items and automatically logs information for food safety compliance while tracking whether leftovers are composted, donated, or repurposed.
By analyzing operations across the entire food service cycle—from ordering and preparation to serving and waste management—the platform generates accurate forecasts for future production needs based on actual consumption patterns rather than estimates or historical averages.
This approach to data-driven kitchen management earned Metafoodx a 2025 Kitchen Innovations Award from the National Restaurant Association, with judges representing major food service operators including the Air Force, Aramark, and Disney.
Market opportunity and business impact
The investment comes as rising food costs and narrowing profit margins intensify pressure on commercial kitchens to optimize operations. The lead investor at Trustbridge Partners noted that the food technology market is projected to exceed $80 billion within five years as operators increasingly turn to technology for solutions.
“Commercial kitchens are turning to technology to reduce waste, control costs and meet sustainability goals,” the Trustbridge Partners spokesperson stated. “Metafoodx has tapped into this opportunity with advanced AI and scanning technology in a sleek, practical device that delivers fast ROI and savings.”
The company reports that its platform can deliver up to 50% reduction in food waste and a 200% return on investment within weeks of deployment. These metrics suggest the technology addresses both environmental sustainability goals and business performance imperatives.
Metafoodx is currently working with universities and food service providers and will showcase its technology at the upcoming National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago from May 17-20, 2025.
