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.

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!

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 16^th. 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 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. 

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.

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.

While embracing novel food drives innovation and fosters a resilient and ecologically responsible protein sector, businesses must navigate complex regulatory landscapes, ensure food safety, gain market acceptance, and scale their products effectively. This Acceleration Session, organised by The Protein Community and the province of Noord Brabant, addresses these challenges and explores the potential of new food products. Register on Foodleap now!

Important Note: This event is exclusively intended for partners of The Protein Community and associates of the Noord-Brabant province. If you haven’t joined as a partner yet, kindly reach out to Leo Koning, the community manager, at leo.koning@foodvalley.nl.

Noord-Branbant and food innovation

Noord-Brabant has a reputation as a thriving hub for food innovation, with a strong focus on research and development, making it an ideal place for cutting-edge food technologies and sustainable practices. As interest in plant-based protein sources continues to grow, various innovations are being developed in the province and beyond, such as Algae-based foods, Novel plant varieties, and Nanotechnology-based foods. Many of these alternative protein sources fall into the category of novel food.

Programme

• Guided tour in Cosun Innovation Center.
• Province of Noord-Brabant: Overview of food innovations in the region.
• Spot Innovation, Gertjan Smolders: What is novel food? How to create a smooth product & innovation process.
• Cosun Protein, Marcel v.d. Vaart: Learnings during the EFSA approval process of RuBisCO
• AKD, Barbara Mutsaers: what has changed the last 2-3 years and how to anticipate on that?
• Biorefinery Solutions, Hans Derksen: The successful approach to an EFSA awarded “Water Lentil Protein Concentrate” as food-safe.
• The Greenup Company, Danielle Mol: Continue to grow into the most valuable partner of your customers with novel food, a commercial perspective.

Due to the successful participation of TPC in the Free from Food & Health Ingredients in Amsterdam (FFFA) in 2022, TPC has once again managed to secure an excellent offer. TPC partners can reserve their own booth in the TPC Pavilion during Free From on November 21st and 22nd 2023 at RAI Amsterdam. The coordination will be handled by the organizers of Free From Food. With this collective participation, we generate strong exposure to visitors and establish the right contacts. TPC-partners have a received a personal email with the link to apply. More information? Contact Chris Gottschalk | EBCEXPO – Chris@ebcexpo.com (+31 76 20 50 501).

The Acceleration Session: Functional Ingredients in Action took place on 20 June. The event brought together over 35 TPC-partners at Avebe’s Innovation Center in Groningen, with an additional 30 attendees joining online. The session featured presentations from Emma Teuling (Nizo), Marc Laus (Avebe), Erwin Kuiper (Codrico), and Jens Herold (ProXES), who shared their knowledge and provided guidance to attendees in their quest for the perfect ingredients for plant-based protein innovations. Avebe showcased the foaming functionality of its potato protein during their ’30 seconds of foam’ and the audience had the opportunity to taste macarons that utilized this potato protein afterwards. 

Key takeaways

1. The audience emphasized that consumer acceptance relies heavily on the taste and mouthfeel of a product, prioritizing sensory functionality. If the sensory experience is not enjoyable for consumers, they are less inclined to make repeat purchases of the product.

2. While the choice of ingredients is crucial for product functionality, it was emphasized that processing techniques also have a significant impact. Processing has the ability to override natural variations and effectively enhance or alter the functionality of ingredients.

3. During the session, the discussion highlighted faba beans as a captivating and easily obtainable protein source. Faba beans were recognized for their potential in various applications within the realm of plant-based products.

4. A synergistic approach to protein functionality was identified as a promising strategy. The session emphasized the potential benefits of combining the functional properties of different protein sources. By leveraging the strengths of multiple protein sources in a synergistic manner, innovative and improved products can be developed.

5. The session recognized the considerable challenge of scaling up from product testing to full-scale production. To address this issue, participants emphasized the importance of having an intermediate step. They discussed the potential solution of utilizing the Agrifood SME Innovation Voucher, which offers support and resources to facilitate the transition from testing to large-scale production. This voucher can assist in bridging the gap and provide the necessary assistance for companies in this critical phase.

The next Acceleration Session of The Protein Community will be 19 September on Novel Foods. Events of TPC are partner-only. Are you not a partner of TPC yet? Get in touch with Community Manager Leo Koning: Leo.koning@foodvalley.nl

Maybe you heard us say it; our objectives are to plantify the protein industry, shorten time to market and become (more) protein self-sufficient. But what does that mean to partners of The Protein Community and how do these focus areas connect to the initiatives and activities that we organize at Foodvalley NL?