Welcome to the second feature of the company spotlight campaign, where we highlight the innovative and successful initiatives that participated in Peatland & People’s Accelerate Green programme. As Ireland’s first low-carbon and circular economy accelerator, it fuels innovative ideas for a Just Transition—from circular food models to renewable energy—driving change in the Irish Midlands and beyond.

Introducing Chefra.ai

Chefra.ai, previously “The Planted Way”, was a result of Wicklow-based CEO and Co-founder Jeff Matthews' experience of scaling businesses and seeing firsthand how food systems are overlooked in the broader sustainability conversation.

This experience inspired him on his mission of building “The Planted Way” with the aim of giving food service providers the tools and insights to reduce the environmental impact of food service - especially carbon emissions, food waste and sourcing practices.

The food system is a substantial driver of climate change contributing nearly a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it is often overlooked. With The Planted Way, Jeff aimed to change this pattern by providing powerful tools and insights for food providers to understand their impact and take action aligning with their sustainability goals.

We’re addressing a clear market gap: while many food companies have sustainability goals, very few have the culinary tools, data, or operational support to actually achieve them. Our platform brings together training, technology, and insights to help teams reduce emissions, cut waste, and meet evolving sustainability standards.

The startup offers food service providers a platform that allows them to generate meaningful and positive environmental impact without disrupting their operations or compromising on quality. It combines expert-led chef training, with AI-powered menu optimisation and real-time carbon and sustainability analytics.

Accelerate Green came at the right time for the rapidly expanding business. “The Planted Way” was in the middle of closing its seed round and onboarding its first wave of pilot customers. Accelerate Green provided the company with a chance to sharpen its strategy at this crucial time, connect with peers, and learn from industry leaders.

I was especially drawn to the programme’s focus on sustainability and the opportunity to build relationships with investors and organisations who understand the urgency and complexity of the problems we’re tackling.

Rebrand to Chefra.ai

After the initial successful growth of “The Planted Way”, the company rebranded to Chefra.ai in 2025 by merging its business strategy with “MeetTheVegans.com”, a platform initially co-founded by Jeff Matthews with the goal of connecting vegan enthusiasts and promoting plant-based lifestyles. Chefra.ai offers the same functionalities as “The Planted Way” but with a broader scope, acting as a kitchen pilot that personalises recipes, reduces food waste & helps cook smarter—at home and at scale.

Chefra.ai and Ireland's Climate Action Plan

The Peatlands and People project sets out to implement Ireland’s Climate Action Plan and to contribute to its targets in areas such as agriculture, forestry and land use; just transition and waste and the circular economy. Chefra.ai directly supports several of the plan’s key climate targets and policy priorities — particularly around food system emissions, food waste reduction, and the transition to a circular economy.

🌱 Alignment with National Food System and Agriculture Targets: The Climate Action Plan identifies the agri-food system as one of Ireland’s largest emitters, responsible for roughly 34% of national GHG emissions. It targets a climate-neutral food system by 2050, with verifiable progress by 2030 (Chapter 16.2). Chefra’s AI-powered menu optimisation and chef training directly help food service operators reduce the carbon footprint of their meals (e.g. lower-emission ingredient choices, efficient sourcing, and waste reduction).

📊 Data driven Insights: By quantifying emissions via real-time analytics, it aligns with the Climate Action Plan’s call for data-driven sustainability and evidence-based approaches to help tackle Climate Change (Chapter 4.3).

🍽️ Supporting Ireland’s 50% Food Waste Reduction Target by 2030: Chefra’s menu optimisation and kitchen analytics enable food service providers to forecast demand, reduce overproduction, and track waste.Chef training programmes additionally reinforce behaviour change — essential for the prevention-first hierarchy in Ireland’s waste strategy (Chapter 20.1).

🌍 Summary Table: How Chefra.ai Supports Climate Action Plan Targets

How Chefra.ai Supports Climate Action Plan Targets

Long-term company vision

Jeff’s vision for Chefra.ai is to become the go-to sustainability platform for the food service industry and beyond.

I want sustainable food choices to be the default, not the exception. That means empowering chefs and decision-makers with the tools and data they need to cut emissions, reduce waste, and source smarter—without sacrificing quality or profitability. Ultimately, I believe we can help transform how the food industry contributes to climate solutions, not just locally, but globally.

Learn more about Chefra here.