Aviko Rixona is a Dutch producer of dried potato products, providing solutions for a range of markets including snacks, bakery products, and the culinary industry.
Last year, the company — which is a subsidiary of agricultural cooperative Royal Cosun — unveiled a new product, Potato Cheezz. The plant-based cheese alternative is said to effectively replicate several varieties of dairy cheese, while containing no added salt or fat.
Carl Wessel is the Business Development Manager at Aviko Rixona. He was offered the position after working in the food industry his whole career, and quickly recognised the potential of Potato Cheezz to make a huge impact in the food transition. We spoke to him to find out more about the company’s innovative potato-based solutions.
You will introduce a new product at Food Ingredients Europe in Frankfurt. Can you tell us more about this product, its key features, and how it fits into your broader plant-based portfolio? How has the initial market reception been so far?
At Food Ingredients in Frankfurt, we will officially introduce a new root within the Potato Cheezz family. The product is called Potato TexaPure and is an optimizer for meat alternatives. It can also replace meat in processed meat products like burgers, sausages, meatballs, and nuggets.
Potato TexaPure is being produced in the Potato Cheezz factory. The product is more than 98% fresh potato, but due to its production procedure it is a versatile ingredient that helps optimize and improve the juiciness of the product. At the same time, it delivers more mouthfeel and creaminess to the product by mimicking a fatty feeling.
TexaPure is also in line with our earlier innovative product, Potato Cheezz, because of its structure and ability to play a key role in the food transition towards more plant-based solutions. We have done some soft introductions and the reception has been very good so far. Product developers see the versatility and possibilities of the product in which they can add something extra without compromising the taste profiles they are craving. We have just recently presented the ingredient to customers, but already some market introductions are planned.
Can you provide us with details about the plant-based solutions that you’ll be showcasing at Fi Europe this year?
At Aviko Rixona, we tell our customers that “We Know Potatoes”! So we do. At Fi Europe, we are trying to help them gain more traction in their own range of plant-based or hybrid products with our potato products. At the exhibition in Frankfurt, we as a company will focus on the introduction of the Potato TexaPure to make as much impact as possible on the carbon footprint reductions and emission plans of our customers. But at the booth, we will showcase more products together with other business groups within the Royal Cosun company.
Aviko Rixona has gained recognition for its vegan potato “cheese” products. How do you plan to expand your plant-based product portfolio, and are there specific markets or product categories you’re targeting for future growth?
Yes, Potato Cheezz certainly has made a big buzz in the market because it was the first plant-based cheese made from fresh potatoes. Much different than the majority of plant-based cheese products in a market that is dominated by starch and coconut fat-based solutions. Our Potato Cheezz is unique and different because of its patented process and therefore brings a better and healthier alternative into the market. Our Potato Cheezz is not perfect yet, but it works in so many different applications that we are very happy about the results. If our customers are happy, so are we!
“Enzyme technologies and fermentation are hot topics”
For now, the new launch of Potato TexaPure will help us make even more impact in the new food market. Behind the scenes, there are some new ideas for expanding our portfolio of potato products, but not in the short term.
How do you see the plant-based market evolving in the coming years? What trends do you foresee shaping the sector, and how is Aviko Rixona positioning itself to meet these demands?
Looking at the plant-based market, we see that it is not growing at the pace it should. There are still a lot of challenges in improving structures and taste profiles, but developments are rapid. Enzyme technologies and fermentation are hot topics and will help improve the overall range of products and their taste profiles. That’s on the technical side of plant-based; looking from a product perspective, we foresee further growth of honest and straightforward vegetable products. Many kinds of plant-based burgers will create their own space and trigger consumers to eat more sustainably.
Looking at consumers, they are moving at a slower pace than expected. I imagine this is related to the fact that too many new products have hit the shelf and unfortunately, a big chunk of those products were not good enough to get the flexitarians over to the other side. So from that perspective, I would say that ingredients that improve taste, structure, and mouthfeel, like Potato Cheezz and Potato TexaPure, will help gain better-tasting products. We as a company will always strive to improve the taste and structure of our customers’ applications. It is in our DNA to get the best out of our crops and plant products so we can service our customers’ needs.
Which markets are you currently most active in, and do you have any plans to expand into new regions? What challenges or opportunities do you anticipate in these new markets?
With Potato Cheezz and Potato TexaPure, we are focusing on European markets. For now, the priority markets are the Netherlands and Belgium because of their active role in the food transition. But the already huge plant-based markets like the UK and the DACH region are also asking for more priority. Next year we are aiming to further expand into markets like Sweden, Denmark, Italy, and Spain.
“We see a bright future ahead of us”
There is still a lot to do and these markets are constantly on the move, like we see now with the rise of hybrid products in meat and dairy! They started to hit it off in the Netherlands, and we did not expect to influence our neighbors so quickly. But it seems that a lot of neighboring countries keep a close eye on what is happening in the Netherlands in terms of the transition and the products developed there. Challenges are always in the back of our heads with new or different regulations within Europe and regional preferences for plant-based or hybrid products. But for now, we see a bright future ahead of us.
Are you exploring any strategic partnerships or collaborations, either in terms of distribution or co-development, to enhance your market presence or product innovation?
Thanks for asking, and yes this is always part of our future agenda. Within our group of companies (Royal Cosun) we try as a cooperative to step up and play a significant role to make even more impact. We as Royal Cosun just made an investment into the Swiss company Planetary because we have strong faith in the future of fermentation technologies to improve our food products in the upcoming years. For Potato Cheezz we are always on the lookout, and if possibilities occur and interesting cooperations or partnerships pass by we are certainly interested.
How are you positioning your products within the B2B space, particularly for manufacturers and food service providers? What benefits does your plant-based portfolio offer to businesses looking for plant-based solutions?
Our Potato Cheezz and Potato TexaPure are versatile ingredients and are helping our customers optimize their products and reduce their carbon footprints. The Potato TexaPure can reduce the carbon footprint of plant-based products if it replaces coconut fat, for example. Furthermore, it is also a cost-effective measure that can help to achieve a lower consumer price on the shelves. You can imagine that it has an even bigger impact if the product is being used in hybrid alternatives where it would replace meat (beef/pork) and therefore have an even higher carbon footprint reduction. It is a no-brainer to speak of cost-effectiveness in this matter.
