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?  

Today in the spotlight: The Future of Food Institute, Agua Foods, and Moulins Kleinbettingen! We are very happy to welcome these three organizations in The Protein Community. They bring expertise, innovation, and dedication to the industry, just like our other (new) partners. 

The Future of Food Institute helps sustainable food companies to innovate faster and communicate with greater impact by providing insights into consumer behavior. Agua Foods specializes in plant-based seafood products and aims to alleviate the strain on unsustainable aquatic food systems by gradually transitioning consumers to plant-based alternatives. Moulins Kleinbettingen, with their heritage in grain milling, produces high-quality plant-based protein ingredients.

These new partners will shape the future of protein, driving sustainability, diversity, and nutritional excellence. Watch the videos below to learn more about these organisations, what their challenges are and what they bring to The Protein Community. 

Functional ingredients play a crucial role in creating high-quality plant-based protein products. However, navigating the landscape of functional ingredients can be challenging, as it involves finding the perfect blend that optimizes your product’s taste, texture, and sensory experience.

That is why The Protein Community is organising the Acceleration Session: Functional Ingredients in Action. This session aims to delve deep into the essential role of functional ingredients and collectively translate their potential into tangible actions.

Programme

During the afternoon, experts like Nizo and Avebe share their expertise on the transformative power of several functional ingredients in creating innovative, plant-based protein products. Participants will have the chance to network and collaborate with other attendees while engaging in hands-on activities involving real-life scenarios. On-site participants will also enjoy an exclusive tour of the Avebe Innovation Center, providing a unique opportunity to observe the forefront of research and development in action.

Date: 20 June 2023
Location: Avebe Innovation Center Groningen + online MS Teams.

Time: walk-in 14.00-14.30 p.m.

Start programme: 14.30 – 17.00 p.m.

• Emma Teuling, Nizo: How to select the right protein ingredient for your application?
• Erwin Kuiper, Codrico: Functionality of Heat-treated Pulses in its best natural performance as a meat replacer ingredient.
• Break-out session: Chose a speaker and topic to dive into and work concretely on solutions for your challenge. 
• Marc Laus, Avebe: The functionality of patato proteins
• Maik Oldenburg, Proxes:  Food processing for optimal functionalities of alternative proteins.

Partners of The Protein Community have received a personal invitation with a link to register. Are you not a TPC-partner yet but would you like to participate? Send an email to Leo.koning@foodvalley.nl

Avebe Innovation Center

On 18 April, 700+ entrepreneurs, brands, as wel as policy- and other change-makers gathered at the international conference PlantFWD in Amsterdam. At the event, Foodvalley NL’s Protein Shift Innovation Lead Jeroen Willemsen presented the term, Plantification, on the main stage, while The Protein Community hosted a meeting during one of the break-out sessions.

Plantfication

Redefining the protein industry refers to the process of transforming the way we produce, distribute, and consume protein-based foods. Plantification – the creation of a plant-based variant of a widely known animal product, recipe or brand – plays an important part in this process. A plant-based Chocomel variant, a vegetarian version of the iconic Ikea meatballs, McDonalds’ McPlant, a sweet curry with seitan from Bumi are all examples of this phenomenon. “Plantificiation is an in-between step towards a more balanced meal on our plates. Less animal- and more plant-based proteins”, according to Jeroen Willemsen.

Jeroen’s presentation at PlantFWD ended with the question to the audience: what is your best example of plantification? Some interesting examples that show that plantification is everywhere: Plantbased bacon by La Vie, the product of Gro and the plant-based eggs from Kipster.

Acting local, going global

The focus of The Protein Community meeting was on Smart Scaling with Local Protein. Local supply chains can play an important role in ensuring the availability and sustainability of plant-based protein resources. However, there are challenges such as limited availability and diversity of local plant-based protein sources, limited market access and distribution channels and consumers’ unfamiliarity with local plant-based protein sources and their benefits.

During this session, 10 TPC partners took to the stage and shared their local cases and challenges: Willicroft, Rival Foods, MCL Europe, Time Traveling Milkman, Phycom, The Greenup Company, Biobite, NoPalm Ingredients, Boon and Greenfood50.

4 learnings

• Achieving widespread use of sustainable local protein sources can be challenging due to issues related to price and quality. Several discussions arose: How do you balance the need for sustainability with the goal of reaching a larger audience, and what strategies do you employ when producing clean label products?
• Success cannot be achieved in isolation. It requires leads, contacts, and assistance. During this session, several new collaborations were formed. Entrepreneurs in need of recipe optimization got in contact with an innovation centre for support and ingredient producing companies got in touch with buyers.
• At times, it is necessary to think beyond the obvious to identify the full range of application possibilities. Through exploration of local protein sources, new ideas for their application have emerged. Algae, for instance, has the potential to be an excellent ingredient for chips. Similarly, quinoa can be used in snack products, while no-palm oil can be leveraged in the cosmetics industry.
• Valuable concepts for producers can be developed by examining the entire value chain, from farmers to consumers. It is important to occasionally take a step back and view the bigger picture to gain a broader perspective.

The next event of The protein Community will be an acceleration session on Functional Ingredients at the innovation center of Avebe in Groningen on 20 June.

The Protein Community and the network organization FoodDelta Zeeland are collaborating to support companies in Zeeland in their protein transition. The shift from animal to more plant-based and aquatic proteins offers various possibilities and opportunities. Combining the triple helix collaboration of FoodDelta Zeeland with their ambition to make Zeeland a Protein Delta, along with the international network and activities of The Protein Community, is a significant step forward.

Under the name Protein Delta Zeeland, Zeeland is positioning itself as a province where collaborating food-producing chains fully utilize the possibilities of combining sea and land, and plant and animal as a source for sustainable proteins. Zeeland is making a visible contribution to the change in the consumer’s (protein) menu.

Johan Dourleijn, director of the network agency of FoodDelta Zeeland, says, “Within FoodDelta Zeeland, companies, knowledge institutions, and governments work together to bring innovation in the entire food-producing chain. With our ambition of Protein Delta Zeeland, we want to encourage the use of sustainable proteins from land and sea on the consumer’s plate. I am delighted that we have a partner in The Protein Community, who wants to use their expertise and activities to support provincial collaborations.”

The aim of The Protein Community (TPC) is to facilitate companies in their activities in the protein transition. “This includes connecting companies to share knowledge and accelerate the development of new and tasty products. It can also involve finding suitable production locations and sharing knowledge about technologies, suppliers, and customers. This happens in mutual consultation and confidentiality, where TPC works to import and export both knowledge and products from and to companies in Zeeland via this international network,” says Leo Koning, Community Manager of TPC.

The collaboration will involve concrete activities for relevant companies. For example, participation in the international food conference Plant Forward, which will take place on 18th April in Amsterdam, will be offered at a strongly reduced rate to FoodDelta Zeeland participants. TPC is a co-founder of PlantFWD. One-on-one conversations are also held with companies to clarify their specific needs and to increase the impact of the protein transition together.

On 28 March an online recap of the workshop: Opportunities in Germany took place. This online recap provided the chance to ask questions about entering and growing on the German plant-based protein market. Jochem Wolthuis discussed the most important findings of the previous workshop. 

Germany is by far the largest market in Europe for plant-based meat-, fish- and dairy alternatives and an important catalyst for product development and sales in the protein transition. Entering the German market can be difficult due to differences in regulations, consumers, and ways of doing business.  

Insights online recap Opportunities in Germany:

• Locality is very important. If you have a ‘local’ product, it is likely to do well in the German market.
• There are creative business opportunities. One participant asked, “how do I sell my ready-made meals in Germany?” You could think about online supermarkets like Picnic, maybe Oda. But there is also the possibility of getting in touch with this young German entrepreneur. He made a good deal with a delivery service and now sells potatoes online through his own web shop. That might also be an option, Jochem suggests.
• Animal welfare  is more important to most consumers than in The Netherlands. 
• Packaging remains an issue as the rules in Germany is different. Fortunately, guidelines can be found online. 

“If you want to be succesful in this day and age, you need to have a digital strategy”, states Jasper Shouten of 1-2-Taste in this masterclass – a collaboration between The Protein Community and 1-2-Taste.

By 2025 it is expected that 15% of the B2B food ingredients sales will go through online channels. This might doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you look at the total sale, this involves a lot of money.

Get inspired by the innovative businessmodel of 1-2-Taste, learn more about the consumerization of B2B buyers and the opportunities of e-commerce. Do you have questions for Jasper after watching the video? Feel free to get in touch: jasper.schouten@12taste.com