03-26-2014: Natural Machines launched a Kickstarter campaign for Foodini — the first consumer 3D food printer.
Although unsuccessful, it marked the beginning of a unique career that continues to this day
On March 26, 2014, the Spanish company Natural Machines launched a Kickstarter campaign for Foodini — the first consumer 3D food printer. Natural Machines aimed to raise $100,000 to fund production and bring Foodini to market. Although they fell short, reaching 80% of the target, they later secured funding from private investors, becoming for years the most recognized company in the niche of 3D food printing.
Natural Machines was founded in 2012 in Barcelona by Lynette Kucsma and Emilio Sepulveda. Their goal was to create the first consumer 3D food printer, enabling the preparation of fresh, healthy meals at home while automating more labor-intensive stages of cooking. The idea was to combine 3D printing technology with the kitchen, offering a device capable of printing both sweet and savory dishes — from ravioli and pizza to chocolate decorations.
The Kickstarter campaign was launched on March 25, 2014. Foodini was intended to be a microwave-sized kitchen appliance, equipped with a touchscreen, five ingredient capsules, and the ability to print layer by layer. Users would prepare their own ingredients (like dough or purée), load them into the capsules, and the device would form precise shapes ready to be cooked or baked.
The campaign offered various levels of support. Early Foodini units were available to backers for $999 ("early bird"), and the price later rose to $1,200. The fastest and most generous supporters ($2,000) were promised delivery as early as October 2014, while others were scheduled for January 2015.
Despite initial enthusiasm, the campaign ended in failure. The missing $20,000 meant that, according to Kickstarter's "all-or-nothing" policy, the company received no funds. It was a surprisingly disappointing outcome, given the media interest from CNN, BBC, Bloomberg, Daily News, and others.
However, the Kickstarter failure didn't stop Natural Machines. The company decided to continue developing Foodini using alternative funding sources and adjusted its strategy. New features were added, such as greater precision and compatibility with a wider variety of ingredients. They also began working on a version with a cooking function, addressing one of the main criticisms from the campaign.
Foodini was released in limited quantities in 2016, priced at around $2,000. The focus was on business customers, allowing the company to build a user base and gather feedback. In the following years, the price increased, but there were also plans for a more affordable home version.
Today, Natural Machines continues to develop Foodini, although it has never achieved the status of a mass-market consumer product. The promised "3D food printer for every home" has, in a sense, been realized by Thermomix!
Source: www.kickstarter.com
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