Cargill, a global leader in food and agriculture, offers a broad portfolio of plant-based proteins, fibers, texturizers, oils, and fats, while also investing in companies developing sustainable food solutions. As part of these efforts, the company collaborates with startups like ENOUGH to address the growing demand for scalable and sustainable protein options.
We spoke with Kevin Lemeilleur, global managing director of meat & dairy alternatives at Cargill, about the company’s partnership with ENOUGH, its innovations in plant-based dairy, emerging market trends, and its plans for 2025 and beyond.
At FiE, Cargill showcased prototypes made with mycoprotein developed in partnership with ENOUGH. Could you elaborate on this collaboration and the advantages of using this mycoprotein?
As global food production and agriculture evolve, we need innovative solutions to address the most urgent challenges. At Cargill, we invest in companies that align with our long-term growth objectives to turn “imagine if” into “we can” on a global scale, exploring what the next generation of food will look like.
Our partnership with ENOUGH is one great example. The world needs more protein that is grown more sustainably to keep pace with global population growth. Mycoprotein is an emerging ingredient with a disruptive role to play due to its many benefits, including a meat-like texture, protein profile, scalability, and sustainability. In February 2024, Cargill announced its investment in ENOUGH’s most recent (Series C) growth funding campaign and has signed a commercial agreement to use and market its fermented protein.
Cargill and ENOUGH already had a multi-faceted partnership. ENOUGH’s first-of-its-kind 160,000 square-foot (15,000 square meter) production facility, built in 2022, is co-located alongside a Cargill facility in Sas van Gent, The Netherlands. Cargill provides ENOUGH with glucose syrup and utilities as well as partnering with ENOUGH in the EU-funded PLENITUDE consortium project.

Cargill is an ideal partner to help ENOUGH achieve its aim to grow over one million tons of ABUNDA® cumulatively by 2033. With the expanded strategic partnership, Cargill will co-create with customers tasty and nutritious protein alternative foods containing ABUNDA® mycoprotein by leveraging its broad portfolio of plant-based proteins, texturizers, and fats, as well as its formulations and applications capabilities. ENOUGH will continue to benefit from Cargill’s global footprint and feedstock technology expertise to scale up faster in Europe and beyond.
Our investments are always considered the starting point for long-term, truly strategic partnerships. We remain committed to bringing traditional and alternative protein source options to the table, and our collaboration with ENOUGH is one of the ways we can realize our purpose to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way.
What solutions does Cargill offer for dairy alternatives?
Keeping up with rapidly changing consumer preferences and market trends requires agility and innovation. We recognize that plant-based products are driving value growth in the European dairy market. Key trends include friendly labels, sugar and saturated fat reduction, increased protein, and a growing interest in plant-based and functional dairy products as consumers seek healthier lifestyles. Our goal is to collaborate with customers to create delightful, value-conscious solutions that meet consumer demands for nutrition and sustainability.
At FiE, we showcased the power of peas with a mango-flavored drinkable yogurt alternative. This delicious plant-based yogurt meets the growing consumer demand for a tasty, indulgent experience while adhering to the nutritional standards of traditional dairy. Additionally, it boasts a source of protein claim thanks to RadiPure® pea protein, made from label-friendly yellow peas, which requires no allergen declaration in the EU. Its low level of saturated fat makes it a winning concept.

Have you observed any emerging trends in the plant-based market in 2024?
Consumer preferences for plant-based products have evolved significantly over the past year. Today’s consumers seek to maximize perceived value, viewing their purchases as reflections of their personal values. They want to make decisions that support the environment and social causes they care about, and they expect companies and brands to help them do that. “Plant forward” is a style of eating that emphasizes and celebrates minimally processed plant-based foods but is not restricted to them.
Advances in plant-based alternatives have piqued consumer curiosity, with innovations in cultivated, precision, and biomass fermentation breaking new ground. At the same time, demand for alternatives to traditional meat and dairy is focused on meeting nutritional needs with a greater emphasis on sustainability, without compromising on taste, texture, or affordability. According to Euromonitor, the global market for meat alternatives is expected to grow by 55% over the next five years. Additionally, Cargill’s TrendTracker™ 2024 projects that the precision fermented market will grow at 40%, reaching $36.3 billion by 2030.
We see huge opportunities for development and discovery in this space. Our aim is to co-create with customers to develop delightful and value-conscious solutions that meet consumers’ demands for nutrition and sustainability. Plant-based burgers and ground meat alternatives were just the beginning. We have many ready-to-go concepts, including alternatives to yogurts, drinks, cheese, and various meat alternative formats.
What are the company’s plans for 2025 and beyond?
As consumer demand for plant-based food and beverages continues to evolve, it remains a key focus for Cargill’s innovation efforts. Cargill’s has a wide expertise in alternatives to meat and dairy, pairing consumer-driven insights with recipe development, technological advancements and application expertise.
We invest in partnerships and together accelerate emerging technologies and help scale up production. We offer a broad, industry-leading portfolio of solutions that includes everything to succeed in this dynamic space, from alternative proteins, to oils & fats, starches & sweeteners, functional systems, cocoa & chocolate, and more.
By operating at the center of the supply chain, Cargill has the capability to support innovation at every step of the process: from ingredients to final recipes or finished products. This makes us uniquely positioned to delight our customers with comprehensive solutions that help nourish the world. It’s all about meeting consumers’ demand for nutrition and sustainability without compromising on taste, texture or affordability.