BENEO unveils innovations in plant-based beef alternatives

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Ingredients

BENEO Unveils New Range of Semi-Finished Plant-Based Products for Beef Alternatives

German ingredients manufacturer BENEO has unveiled two new semi-finished plant-based products for beef alternatives: Beef Bites and Minced Meat. The semi-finished products, which are easy-to-process inputs that have undergone some processing, offer manufacturers an easy solution to create “juicy and meaty” alternatives to beef. They have been developed with a blend of pea and mycoprotein by Meatless BV, a Dutch producer of texturized plant proteins that was acquired by BENEO in 2022. The new range will launch at the beginning of 2024; however, the company is offering Fi Europe  2023(currently ongoing) participants the opportunity to taste the products in plant-based dishes prepared by Culinary Chef Jelbrich Hendrickx from the BENEO-Technology Center. Niels E. Hower of BENEO’s Executive Board shared: “Due to the high consumer interest, we made the decision …

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Niels E Hower, BENEO

Niels E Hower © BENEO

Company News

Niels E. Hower is New Member of the Management Board at BENEO

Niels E. Hower is a new member of the management of BENEO GmbH, a manufacturer of functional ingredients for food and feed as well as for pharmaceutical applications. In his role, Hower oversees the plant-based protein portfolio, which specifically includes broad bean ingredients and textured wheat protein, as well as the Meatless brand businesses. Meatless specializes in plant-based texturates and was acquired by BENEO last year. Hower has an MBA in economics and over 25 years of wholesale, retail, and life science experience. During his career, he has held several senior positions, including in category and product management as well as in operational business. Before his new role at BENEO, Hower was responsible for global purchasing at Fresenius Kabi as EVP. He also co-founded the …

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Fava Beans

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Ingredients

BENEO Launches Rice, Wheat, and Fava Protein Concentrates for Healthy Pet Diets

German ingredients manufacturer BENEO has introduced a new range of high-quality and non-GMO vegetal protein concentrates — a toolbox for manufacturers developing natural, plant-based pet food products for healthy pet diets. Featuring locally sourced, non-GMO rice, wheat gluten, and faba protein, BENEO claims its new range of concentrates provides specific nutritional and technical benefits such as high protein content, high digestibility, and excellent amino acid profiles.  “Pet food manufacturers are increasingly facing lower availability and price volatility, mainly for meat (co)products. As a result, many producers are willing to explore new protein sources and diversify their portfolio,” says Beneo. Rice  BENEO claims that its rice concentrate provides approximately 80% of proteins. It is highly digestible, offering essential amino acids such as methionine, cysteine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine, …

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Grillido hybrid

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Investments & Acquisitions

BENEO Buys 14% Stake in Grillido, Producer of Hybrid, Vegetarian & Vegan Products

BENEO, a leading manufacturer of functional ingredients, announces it is taking a 14% stake in German startup Grillido, a producer of hybrid, vegetarian and vegan products, marking the next step in the company’s plant-based protein strategy. Munich-based Grillido is focused on the development, production, marketing and distribution of meat alternative products, as well as other products linked to BBQ foods, and employs around 30 staff. Next to e-commerce, its multi-channel sales approach also covers retail and foodservice sales. The development follows several steps in the plant-based arena from BENEO. In May of 2022, the company revealed plans for a new €50 million fava bean processing plant to strengthen its portfolio and meet the growing demand for plant-based proteins. Just days later, BENO announced the acquisition …

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Plant-based-chicken-chunks-BENEO

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Company News

BENEO Presents Authentic Vegan Chicken Chunks at Fi Europe

German ingredients manufacturer BENEO showcased vegan chicken chunks as the next step in the company’s vegetable protein strategy at the Fi Europe show yesterday.  Following the acquisition of Meatless BV at the beginning of the year, BENEO is expected to add the chicken chunks as a semi-finished product to its portfolio for the first time in the second quarter of 2023. Thanks to a special recipe and a patented production process, BENEO states it will offer manufacturers a highly scalable and effective way to join the plant-based shift. Visitors to Fi Europe were able to sample the plant-based chicken pieces for themselves as award-winning chef Pieter-Jan Lint from Belgium prepared vegan dishes with prototypes of the new semi-finished product. The vegan chicken chunks offer food …

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BENEO

© BENEO

Ingredients

BENEO is Showcasing New “Future-Proof” Fava Bean Protein at IFT FIRST Expo in Chicago

Leading functional ingredients producer BENEO is showcasing its new fava bean protein concentrate at the 2022 IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo under the theme “Rooted in Nature – the Power of Plants”. Fava bean protein production continues to gain traction in the alt protein industry as the sustainable crop offers numerous advantages for plant-based producers.  Taking place currently at McCormick Place in Chicago, visitors to BENEO’s booth will have the opportunity to learn how its fava bean ingredients can help manufacturers improve texture in meat and dairy alternatives, as well as protein enrichment, according to the company.  BENEO claims its fava bean ingredients are suitable for animal or soy protein replacement, with a mild taste, excellent amino acid profile, high solubility, and emulsifying properties. …

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Fish fingers Meatless BV

©Meatless BV

Investments & Acquisitions

BENEO to Acquire Meatless BV, Supplier of Textured Pea, Fava, Wheat Proteins

Südzucker subsidiary BENEO is to acquire Meatless BV, a Dutch producer of texturized plant proteins from rice, quinoa, pea, fava, wheat and lupins. Meatless has supplied the food industry with such proteins for over 15 years. Südzucker Group states that plant-based proteins are a current focus and that the acquisition of Meatless supports Südzucker’s goal of evolving from a large-scale processor of agricultural raw materials to a leading partner for plant-based solutions. The move closely follows the news from earlier this month that its subsidiary BENEO will open a €50 million fava bean plant in Germany to meet the growing demand for plant-based proteins. Founded in 2005, Meatless has developed a unique process that enables the production of plant texturates in a manner that results …

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Fava or broad beans

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Manufacturing & Technology

BENEO Invests €50M in New Fava Bean Processing Plant in Germany

Leading functional ingredients producer BENEO has announced it will be opening a new fava bean processing plant in Offstein, Germany. The facility will process the beans — and potentially other pulses at a later date — into protein concentrate, flour, and hulls. Companies will be able to use the fava-derived ingredients to improve the protein content and texture of meat and dairy alternatives, as well as to produce gluten-free bakery and cereal products. Costing €50 million, the new site will help BENEO strengthen its portfolio and meet the growing demand for plant-based proteins. Though the construction of the plant is not expected to be complete until late 2024, BENEO is set to begin producing fava bean ingredients at its existing facilities from June. Investing in …

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BENEO

LTR: Dr. Stephan Meeder, CFO CropEnergies; Christophe Lacroix, Mayor of Wanze (Belgium); Christoph Boettger, Member of the Executive Board BENEO (Photo by PHDPH)

Company News

BENEO Invests 4.3 million Euro in New Belgian Facility

BENEO, one of the leading manufacturers of functional ingredients, has invested 4.3 million Euro into a new production plant for vegetal protein in Wanze, Belgium. The opening of the new facility was officially announced at an inauguration ceremony on Friday 1st March 2019 to mark the occasion. The plant is part of the existing BioWanze factory, a modern biorefinery producing food, feed and ethanol.

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