In Timrå, right in the heart of Sweden’s forest industry, RM Labs is emerging as a new innovation lab dedicated to developing new ingredient solutions for the health food and food industries. Using cellulose and natural sweeteners, the company aims to create products that can make food both healthier and more sustainable.
“A major challenge in the food industry today is reducing sugar consumption without compromising on taste and functionality,” says Stefan Sångberg, founder of RM Labs.
RM Labs is working to develop a sugar substitute based on cellulose and natural sweeteners. The goal is to create a 1:1 substitute for granulated sugar that can be used in baking without adding calories or affecting blood sugar levels.
“Many products on the market are very expensive or contain ingredients that consumers perceive as unnatural. We want to create an alternative that is natural, tasty, and reasonably priced,” says Stefan Sångberg.
At the same time, more products are being developed, including a gluten-free flour substitute designed to resemble wheat flour in taste and texture.
“‘The forest as our pantry’ is our slogan,” says Stefan Sångberg.
Seeking to address a global health challenge
Over the past six months, the company has participated in Bizmaker’s business development program, the Forest Business Accelerator. Through this program, they have established contacts with industry and research institutions.
“For us, it has been crucial to quickly join a network of relevant partners. Through the Forest Business Accelerator, we’ve connected with companies such as SCA, Domsjö Fabriker, and RISE,” says Stefan Sångberg.
He believes that this has both strengthened the company’s credibility and opened up opportunities to continue working with raw materials from the forest industry, such as cellulose. The forest industry and food innovation are coming together in a way that creates new opportunities.
“This region is home to world-leading expertise in cellulose and biomaterials. Being able to develop new food ingredients in this environment is a huge strength, even though food has not historically been a focus area for the forest industry,” says Stefan Sångberg.
A driving force for innovation in new ingredients
RM Labs sees itself as an innovation lab rather than a traditional food company. Its business model is based on developing ingredients that are licensed to established brands.
The company also undertakes development projects for companies in the food, health food, and beverage sectors—a global market where there is strong demand for new functional ingredients. The company already generates revenue from development projects and has several product formulations in the pipeline, as well as future royalty agreements.
Aiming to establish a food tech hub in the region
RM Labs now plans to expand both its organization and its laboratory operations. The company plans to hire two lab assistants, and several development projects are already underway.
“We want to be a catalyst for innovation in food tech in Northern Sweden in the future. There is incredible potential in forest-based raw materials, and we believe the region can become a key hub for the sustainable food of the future,” says Stefan Sångberg.
At the same time, RM Labs continues to develop new ingredients with the goal of launching several innovations each year.
“The pace of innovation in the food and beverage industry is accelerating rapidly. If we can crack any of the challenges the industry has long struggled with, there is enormous potential,” says Andreas Ottander, Head of R&D at RM Labs.
Contact
Stefan Sångberg, RM Labs
070 699 90 99,stefan@rmlabs.se
Andreas Ottander, RM Labs
070 461 90 25,andreas.ottander@rmlabs.se
About RM Labs
The company was founded in 2025 by Stefan Sångberg, Andreas Ottander, Eva Karin Gidlund, and Anne Thorstvedt Sjöberg.
About the Forest Business Accelerator
The Forest Business Acceleratoris a collaboration betweenBizMaker,SCA,IBM,Sweco, andthe Processum Biorefinery Cluster—part ofRISE—a platform where innovations in forestry and the bioeconomy can flourish through collaboration between entrepreneurs, industry, and research.
