Metafoodx Puts AI to Work in Commercial Kitchens with Fresh $9.4M Backing

Courtesy: Metafoodx

Metafoodx, a startup blending artificial intelligence with culinary operations, has closed a $9.4 million funding round to expand its footprint in commercial kitchens. The round was led by Trustbridge Partners, with participation from BlueRun Ventures and ScalableVision Capital, and comes as the food service industry faces mounting pressure to rein in food waste and deliver operational efficiency.

The startup’s core product is a compact 3D AI scanner designed for professional kitchens, where margins are tight and overproduction remains a persistent—and expensive—problem. Metafoodx’s system captures real-time data on food items, including weight, temperature, and type, and integrates it seamlessly into kitchen workflows, enabling kitchens to forecast production more accurately and slash waste.

“Commercial kitchens are turning to technology to reduce waste, control costs and meet sustainability goals,” said a representative from Trustbridge Partners. “Metafoodx has tapped into this opportunity with advanced AI and scanning technology in a sleek, practical device that delivers fast ROI and savings.”

At the heart of the platform is a machine-learning engine that links food inputs with menu data and usage patterns. It doesn’t just log what’s being cooked or discarded—it tells operators why and how much. That granular insight allows kitchens to calibrate their ordering and prep routines with precision. Metafoodx reports clients can cut food waste by up to 50% and achieve a 200% return on investment in just weeks.

Fengmin Gong, co-founder and CEO of Metafoodx, sees the company’s mission as one of systemic change. “The magic behind Metafoodx is our ability to tackle food waste at its source,” Gong said. “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%.”

According to the USDA and EPA, food waste costs the U.S. economy hundreds of billions of dollars each year—up to $382 billion by some estimates—and a significant portion of that stems from inefficiencies in food service operations. The Metafoodx team believes the future of kitchen management lies in real-time, AI-driven feedback loops, where every gram of food is accounted for and optimizations happen automatically.

Their technology has already been adopted by major institutional kitchens, including universities and contract caterers. And the recognition is building: earlier this year, Metafoodx received a 2025 Kitchen Innovations Award from the National Restaurant Association, with judges from the U.S. Air Force, Aramark, and Disney highlighting the scanner’s usability and operational impact.

The funding will allow the company to scale deployments across the U.S. and explore partnerships with multinational food service providers. Metafoodx will also be exhibiting at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago from May 17–20, aiming to connect with operators seeking scalable sustainability tools.

As kitchens contend with rising costs and increasing scrutiny over waste, the promise of AI-powered, automated food operations is catching on. Metafoodx is betting that its hardware-software fusion will be a fixture in tomorrow’s kitchens—where fewer calories are wasted, and every tray tells a story.