Protecting Innovation in Foodtech: Key Takeaways from Dinner with Wolf Greenfield
/Our team at Branchfood had the pleasure of hosting an intimate dinner with the team from Wolf Greenfield, one of the leading intellectual property (IP) law firms in the country. The conversation centered on a topic that’s increasingly relevant for foodtech founders and investors alike: how to protect innovation and brand identity in a rapidly evolving, competitive landscape.
The Growing Importance of IP in Food Innovation
The food industry is no longer defined solely by recipes or product development, it’s driven by technology, data, and science. From novel protein production and precision fermentation to AI-driven ingredient discovery and sustainable packaging, the boundaries between food and technology have blurred.
According to data from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), innovators worldwide submitted a record 3.55 million patent applications in 2023, representing a 2.7% increase over 2022, A detailed WIPO patent landscape report for the agrifood / foodtech sector highlights that although growth is slower than in some other fields, important subcategories including food chemistry, food technology, and supply chain have good momentum.
On the trademark side, the U.S. federal registry includes over 3.5 million active trademark registrations as of Q4 2025. This reflects how companies are placing a premium not just on the technology, but on the brand and consumer trust that goes with it.
What this means for foodtech companies is clear: as innovation intensifies, so too does the need for robust IP strategy, not just for the R&D stack, but for brand recognition, market positioning, and defensibility.
What Founders Should Know About IP Strategy
One of the most insightful parts of the discussion focused on how and when to start thinking about IP. For early-stage founders, the advice was consistent:
Start early. Even preliminary R&D can produce patentable innovations or trade secrets worth protecting before fundraising. Delaying IP strategy risks unintended disclosures or even loss of priority. The uptick in global patent filings suggests that many are racing and the landscape is crowded.
Be strategic. Not all innovations should be patented: sometimes confidentiality (trade secrets) or first-mover advantage offers better protection. With foodtech innovations often involving integrated processes (biotech + data + supply chain), the decision matrix can be complex.
Build with scalability in mind. Global food systems mean global markets; an early plan for international IP filings can prevent major headaches down the road. For instance, non-resident filings in the global patent pool account for ~28.8 % of all filings in 2023.
The Wolf Greenfield team also reminded us that IP can be a powerful value driver in due diligence. For investors (including our network at Branch Venture Group), a thoughtful IP portfolio can signal technical defensibility and maturity of operations, key factors in assessing long-term potential.
Trademarks and the Power of Brand
While much of the conversation focused on technology, we also explored the critical role of trademarks. In a market where consumer trust and differentiation are everything, especially when novel proteins, alternative ingredients, sustainable packaging, and new delivery systems all challenge perceptions, establishing a strong, distinctive brand identity is essential.
Wolf Greenfield’s attorneys advised founders to:
Conduct comprehensive trademark searches early to avoid conflicts. The sheer volume of filings means names and marks get claimed fast.
Think globally; the best brand names can scale across markets and cultures.
Remember that trademarks are not just words and logos; they’re at the center of brand identity and an important strategic asset that should evolve with the company.
A strong trademark portfolio can also be an investment signal.
Building a Culture of IP Awareness
One of the evening’s takeaways was the importance of embedding IP thinking into company culture. Every team member, from R&D to marketing, plays a role in identifying and protecting innovation. For example: just because a packaging innovation is not “food molecule” doesn’t mean it isn’t patentable or a protectable trademark; similarly, a flavor platform may generate trade secrets rather than patents.
By making IP part of the early conversation companies can strengthen their competitive edge and avoid common pitfalls: missed filings, weak brand protection, insufficient global coverage.
Looking Ahead
Our dinner with Wolf Greenfield underscored the incredible opportunity ahead for foodtech founders, and the need to protect the innovations shaping the future of food. At Branchfood and Branch Venture Group, we’re committed to supporting entrepreneurs who are not only building breakthrough technologies but also building them wisely, with the right structures and protections in place.
A big thank-you to the Wolf Greenfield team for sharing their time and experience. For those interested in learning more about IP strategy for foodtech companies, we encourage you to connect with their team and start the conversation early.
