Protein Transition: Visit to Denmark 2024

January 2, 2024

Networking and Inspiration Visit to Denmark

We invite our TPC-partners to join us on March 17-20 (2024) on a visit to Denmark. This visit is planned with the goal to network and get inspired in the field of protein transition. This visit is organized by the Province of Noord-Holland, Amsterdam Trade & Innovate and OostNL. 

This mission offers a chance to explore Denmark’s advancements in protein transition. This collaborative initiative, involving public and private entities, focuses on sharing knowledge and business opportunities within the protein ecosystem.

The mission involves visits to key locations like the Food Expo in Herning, the Agro Food Park in Aarhus, and engagements with Danish government bodies, fostering valuable insights and networking opportunities.

TPC-partners can sign up and find more information here.

If you are not a TPC-partner but interested in joining, please send a message to Leo Koning.

 

Recognising Leaders in the Protein Transition

December 21, 2023

The Golden Bean Award

The Golden Bean celebrates those shaping the protein transition. Recently, Paul van Zanten was honoured for his impactful contributions at Inveja’s dry-processing factory. Alongside him, nine others received a Golden Bean in 2023, thanking them for their significant efforts in the Protein Transition!

Established in 2022 by The Protein Community, The Golden Bean recognizes people making great strides in accelerating the Protein Transition. The Protein Transition experts at Foodvalley NL select winners based on criteria like impact, collaboration, personal engagement, and innovation.

The symbolic Golden Bean pin serves as a catalyst for innovation and raises awareness, fostering collaboration within the protein industry. By linking the Golden Bean with positive change, it motivates individuals and organizations to explore inventive approaches. The award spotlights the significance of the Protein Transition and the achievements of those driving change.

The Golden Bean awardees excel in key aspects of the Protein Transition:

  • Becoming protein self-sufficient: establishing sustainable protein systems in specific regions, making locally produced goods desirable and accessible, and fortifying self-reliant ecosystems.
  • Shortening the time to market: introducing novel alternative protein products in evolving markets, positioning companies as innovators, and meeting the growing demand for sustainability.
  • Redefining the protein industry: embracing alternative protein choices, diversifying sources, and reshaping mindsets and operations from animal-based to plant-based in meat, dairy, and fish production.

In 2024, additional frontrunners in the protein transition will be honoured with The Golden Bean, further acknowledging remarkable contributions.

Take a look below at some of our Golden Bean Awardees! 

Presenting: our TPC video!

November 24, 2023

The Protein Community proudly presents its own video!

We are thrilled to share our own promotional video, which captures exactly what TPC stands for. Within it, the narrative of TPC unfolds, highlighting our three focal points: shorten time to market, redefining the protein industry, and becoming protein self-sufficient. For each theme, a TPC-partner was asked to define what it means for them, and how their company relates to it. A big thank you to our partners Jan Klawer of 1-2-Taste,  Floor Buitelaar from Bright Green Partners, and Marc Arts of GreenFood50, for contributing to our video and perfectly displaying the diversity our our community. 

This video was created by Misset Uitgeverij. 

Enjoy!

Booth Offer for TPC-partners at Free From Food Amsterdam (21-22 Nov)

October 26, 2023

Booth Offer for TPC-partners at Free From Food Amsterdam (21-22 Nov)

Join us at the 11th edition of the Free From Food Expo at booth F43, taking place on November 21-22, 2023, at RAI Amsterdam. This annual European event promises to be the most focused and dynamic Free From Food edition yet, serving as a platform for highlighting food lifestyle trends and forecasting what will be on our shelves in the next five years. Expect hundreds of international food and beverage manufacturers and brands and their latest product innovations.

TPC in the Vegan & Plant-based theatre
The expo features three main theaters: Free From Retail, Vegan & Plant-based, and Supplier & Insights: all offering a strong lineup of speakers, providing inspiration and insights on the fast-paced developments. On November 21, Leo Koning (TPC Community Manager) will share insights into the ever-evolving landscape of plant-based foods. The conversation continues on November 22 with Minke Burgers (Project Manager Protein Transition).

Special offer
Following the successful TPC participation in the 2022 Free From Food event, we’re excited to offer our partners another exceptional opportunity. TPC is offering a special package for its partners to participate at the Free From Food Expo at the TPC pavilion. The package includes booth construction, online registration, matchmaking, visibility in event communications, and more, all for 1750 euro. TPC-partners have received a personal email with more information and a link to register, you can also find this on Foodleap. Deadline: November 1st.

Join the TPC pavilion
We are delighted to announce that we already have two TPC-partners who will be present at the TPC pavilion: Time Travelling MilkmanAlver, and Agua Foods.

Don’t miss the Free From Food Expo – your window into the future of food!

Free from food booths

Networking Event The Protein Community: The Power of Collaboration

October 20, 2023

Networking Event The Protein Community: The Power of Collaboration

Date: November 16th, 2023
Time: 13.45 – 15.45 p.m. (doors open 13.30)
Location: Foodvalley NL, Wageningen

We are excited to unveil more details for the upcoming Networking Event from The Protein Community: “The Power of Collaboration.”

Matchmaking TPC-partners
Many amazing innovative Protein products have been developed through collaboration of TPC-partners. In our ongoing pursuit of fostering greater collaboration, we will kick off our meeting with a dynamic way to connect you with potential partners who can help elevate the success of your innovations. Engage in this session, hosted by Jeroen Willemsen, and enjoy live matchmaking and possibly forging a valuable partnership on the spot!

Showcases
The heart of our event lies in three interactive rounds of workshops, featuring six inspiring showcases. These initiatives reflect the power of collaboration among TPC-partners, each aligned with our three core focus areas: protein self-sufficiency, redefining the protein industry, and shortening time to market.

The showcases that are confirmed are:

  1. Co-Fresh: Ten TPC-partners participated in this project. Minke Burgers, Protein project manager at Foodvalley, and Geert Lindenhols, a faba bean farmer, present falafel made of Dutch faba beans.

  2. Paul van Zanten, Inveja:  offering insights into Inveja’s unexpected collaboration with De Nieuwe Melkboer.

  3. Jos Bijman, Wageningen University: he will present a business model for sustainable business & collaboration.

  4. Kirsten Knobel, The Protein Brewery & Frank Smalberg, Uticon: their experience in how their collaboration helped to tackle engineering challenges in building a state-of-the-art Protein Factory.

  5. Protein Transition Map NL: over 416 companies are identified in the Netherlands and are presented on this online tool made by Foodvalley. Lots of data = food for valuable collaborations.

  6. Shared facilities & vouchers: this opportunity for upscaling and collaborations is presented by Emmanuel Amon, including two best practices with companies from The Protein Community

After our meeting, we invite you to walk with us to the Foodvalley Partner Event, starting at 16:00 p.m.

This event is for TPC-partners only, please register via The Protein Community on Foodleap.

If you would like to join this event but are no partner of The Protein Community, please contact our community manager Leo Koning here.

Meet the new TPC-partners

October 19, 2023

Meet the new TPC-partners

Our community is growing! On Wednesday, October 4th, we welcomed ten new organisations into The Protein Community: Huijbregts Groep, Mosquito In The Room, Bflike, Spot Innovation, One Planet, Niras, Inveja, Schuttelaar & Partners, KiCo and LC Ingredients. Each of these organizations had the opportunity to introduce themselves and share why they chose to join TPC, their potential needs, and the value they bring to our community.

To get to know our partners better, watch the pitches of Huijbregts and Bflike below! To get to know the rest of the partners, watch the meeting here via Foodleap. Additionally, keep an eye out for another session in a few months, where we will introduce even more new community members.

A warm welcome to our new partners; we look forward to getting to know these organisations!

New Project Coordinator: Suzan D’Rose

October 18, 2023

New Project Coordinator: Suzan D'Rose

What drives you? Why do you work for The Protein Community? 

My interest in the protein transition and plant-based diets started with my love for animals which turned me into a vegetarian a long time ago. Then, during my BSc and MSc degree in Nutrition & Health at Wageningen University, I gained knowledge on the health benefits and the environmental benefits of a more plant-based diet. The protein transition topic also became the focal point of both my theses and my internship. Therefore, I am very happy to join Foodvalley and to support The Protein Community as it relates directly to my academic studies, and I can contribute to a more sustainable food system!

 

What will be your roll at TPC? What can people contact you for? 

I will primarily take over the role of Project Coordinator for TPC, which involves the website, The Protein Community on Foodleap and the TPC newsletter. I will also assist in the onboarding of new community partners. Additionally, I will be responsible for organizing TPC events, including the upcoming community event on November 16th. If you have inquiries about this event or any other TPC-related matters, please don’t hesitate to contact me: suzan.drose@foodvalley.nl

Put yourself on the map!

October 11, 2023

Put Yourself on the map

Put yourself on the Protein Transition Map NL together with more than 400 actors and initiatives working towards an economically healthy future for proteins.

The Protein Transition Map NL highlights the efforts of over 400 actors and initiatives dedicated to reshaping the protein landscape towards a more sustainable and economically healthy future. 

The Protein Transition Map NL, scheduled for launch in 2024, serves two primary objectives:

  1. Global Exposure: It provides a unique portal for international stakeholders seeking sustainable protein solutions, thus opening up the Dutch ecosystem to the world.
  2. Economic Impact Assessment: By collecting, analysing, and aggregating data from featured actors, the map offers valuable insights into the economic implications of the Dutch protein transition. Users can access actor-specific information on their solutions and aggregated economic data at both national and provincial levels. This facilitates the monitoring of long-term trends and informs policymakers about the progress in achieving the goals outlined in the National Protein Strategy. Additionally, it supports the initiation of impactful programs aimed at driving this transition forward.

To delve deeper into the details and understand the advantages of being part of this initiative, we invite you to explore the website

Visit Anuga

September 13, 2023

Join Us for Anuga 2023

Join us on Tuesday, October 10th, for a visit to Anuga 2023 in Cologne, the world’s largest food fair, alongside fellow TPC partners. This excursion is part of the Germany Year initiative, in collaboration with TPC and organized by Agrofood Broker Germany East NL / GO4EXPORT’s Jochem Wolthuis. The goal is to encourage food entrepreneurs from East NL to attend this fair together. We have 25 available spots. Prior to the fair visit, we will host a knowledge-sharing session on Friday, October 6th, to help you prepare for an optimal experience at the fair. Transportation (with the bus starting in Arnhem) and admission tickets will be taken care of. You can also look forward to an official VIP reception for the NL Delegation, just like in the past two Anuga editions. Traveling together is a formula for great success. Please register with Jochem Wolthuis (jochem.wolthuis@oostnl.nl) by October 1st at the latest or feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

TPC with 12 partners at FiE Frankfurt 2023

August 16, 2023

Shared booth at Food Ingredients Europe 2023

The Protein Community, in collaboration with Oost NL and Topsector, is participating in the Food Ingredients Fair in Frankfurt (FiE) with a shared booth featuring 12 partners. FiE is renowned as one of the food industry’s most significant and largest trade shows and takes place from 28 to 30 November 2023. Present at the stand will be: Bflike, Bösch Boden Spies, Cano-ela, Entobreed, Greencovery, Greenfood50, NoPalm-Ingredients, Ojah, Peelpioneers, Phycom, Schouten, Time Travelling Milkman. For more information about TPC at the FiE and an updated programme, visit the website of Foodvalley.

Why FiE?

Food ingredients fairs play a vital role in driving the protein transition by promoting sustainable ingredients, encouraging innovation, facilitating collaboration, and raising awareness about the importance of adopting more sustainable dietary patterns. These events serve as a nexus for industry players to come together, share ideas, and collectively work on the protein transition. 

TPC, Oost NL and Topsecter provide a shared booth for 12 partners. This creates a dynamic and cost-effective platform for partners to engage, learn, and succeed at the fair, while promoting the Netherlands as the place to be for plant-based protein innovation.