Netherlands

Nijmegen endorses the Plant Based Treaty

© Plant Based Treaty
Society

Dutch City Nijmegen Bans Meat Ads & Endorses Plant Based Treaty

The city of Nijmegen has endorsed calls for a global Plant Based Treaty, becoming the second Dutch city to do so and the 37th globally. Following the endorsement, Nijmegen will implement a ban on advertising fossil fuels and meat products in public spaces such as bus shelters and digital screens. Similar bans have previously been implemented by municipalities in Haarlem and Utrecht. The city will also introduce the plant-based Nimma Sandwich, which has been developed in collaboration with Radboudumc, Radboud University, MVO Nederland, HAN, Compass, Vermaat, and the restaurant De Nieuwe Winkel. The sandwich highlights natural, plant-based ingredients, all of which are sourced from local farmers and producers. “Last year, we put the Plant Based Treaty on the city’s radar,” said Bart Salemans, City Council …

more

Organisations and brands:

Plant FWD Week

© Sabine Haitsma
Gastronomy & Food Service

Almost 100 Amsterdam Restaurants to Offer Plant-Based Specials for Plant FWD Week

Plant FWD, a conference working to accelerate the protein transition, returns to Amsterdam on April 8-9. To celebrate, Amsterdam restaurants will be joining Plant FWD Week, offering a range of plant-based specials and sustainable menus from April 5-12. Almost 100 restaurants are taking part this year, from meat-based outlets to those known for their plant-based options. Participants include Restaurant De Kas, Madre, Morris & Bella, BAUT, Ron Gastrobar, and Cannibale Royale. There will also be a programme of culinary workshops and collaborative dinners throughout the week. For example, Berlin restaurant Horváth will enter De Kas’ kitchen on April 7 for an exclusive dinner that is already fully booked. “Plant FWD Week is like ADE, but for your taste buds: a week full of discoveries throughout …

more

Organisations and brands:

Grassa

© Grassa
Investments & Acquisitions

Grassa Raises €3.6M to Further Develop Grass Protein Production Technology

Grassa, a Dutch company working to extract protein from grass, has raised €3.6 million to further develop its technology. Investors in the round included Perspectieffonds Gelderland (PFG) — a Gelderland province fund managed by Oost NL — along with existing shareholders Fransen Gerrits and Brightlands Venture Partners. The funding will be used to scale up Grassa’s technology, demonstrate its benefits to dairy farmers, and develop edible grass protein for humans. Grassa’s technology creates “unlocked grass”, which contains less unstable protein than normal grass, along with grass juice, from which protein can be extracted. The unlocked grass reduces methane and nitrogen emissions from cows when used as feed, while the grass protein provides a sustainable alternative to soy protein. Grassa has discovered that 50% of the …

more

Organisations and brands:

Matthias Krön © The New Originals Company
Interviews

New Originals Company: “We Recognized Early on That Tofu Will Be a Key Pillar of Our Future Diet”

The New Originals Company, headquartered in Vienna, was founded in February 2024 by the Lunter family – tofu pioneers since 1991 – NLT Management Holding and Raiffeisenbank Landesbank Oberösterreich, an experienced investor in the food industry, and already employs over 600 people in six European countries. The New Originals Company focuses on the development of innovative tofu products that meet modern nutritional requirements. With already five brands, all of which stand for innovative, high-quality tofu products and plant-based foods, the company aims to expand further in the rapidly growing European market for natural plant-based foods. Regional roots and comprehensive traceability of raw materials along the entire supply chain remain an important part of the mission. Matthias Krön, CEO of the New Originals Company, gives us …

more

Organisations and brands:

Meatable hires meat industry veterans

Image courtesy of Meatable
People

Meatable Hires Two Meat Industry Veterans in Strategic Move

Dutch cultivated meat company Meatable has strengthened its ties to the meat industry through the strategic hiring of two industry veterans. Maiko van der Meer is Meatable’s new Director of Commerce and will be based in the Netherlands. He has extensive experience in the meat, fish, poultry and plant-based industries, having led efforts at MOWI, Vion Food Group, 2 Sisters Food Group, and Tyson Foods. He began his new role on March 1. Eugene Leong has been appointed as Meatable’s new Head of Asia, based in Singapore. He has more than 25 years of business experience in flavors and food ingredients, most recently at McCormick and Cargill. Leong will join Meatable on May 5, helping to expand the company’s footprint in the Asian market. The …

more

Organisations and brands:

Cano-ela

© Cano-ela
Investments & Acquisitions

Cano-ela Raises €1.6M to Extract Innovative Plant-Based Ingredients From Oilseeds

Dutch foodtech startup Cano-ela has raised €1.6 million in a new funding round. Participants included existing investor Oost NL and new investors Value Factory Ventures and Ecoseed. Cano-ela is working to transform underutilized canola seeds into high-value plant-based ingredients by processing them in an innovative way. These ingredients could reportedly be used by food companies to create the next generation of sustainable and natural plant-based foods. The startup aims to improve on existing extraction methods for oilseeds, which only extract one component (vegetable oil) and create big streams with poor functionality. Cano-ela told Silicon Canals that the new funding would allow it to upgrade its pilot facility, increase production capacity, and accelerate collaborations with food producers. “New exciting phase” Cano-Ela’s ingredients include: Worldwide, a few …

more

Organisations and brands:

Plant FWD

© Plant FWD
Fairs & Events

Plant FWD to Return to Amsterdam With a Bigger Program Than Ever Before

Plant FWD, a conference working to accelerate the protein transition, is preparing to return to Amsterdam for the third time on April 8-9. The event will bring together 1000 food professionals, startups, investors, policy makers, and decision makers. This year’s program will reportedly be bigger than ever before, featuring pitches from ten startups, an advance look at some groundbreaking products, a preview of the Eat Lancet Dietary Guidelines 2.0, and the initial results of the Protein Tracker (an initiative that monitors supermarkets’ progress towards selling a higher proportion of plant proteins). Speakers will include circular economist Harald Friedl, photographer Jimmy Nelson, chefs Nicolas Acquaa and Glory Kabe, former minister Klaas Dijkhoff, Marjan Minnesma of Urgenda, Carbon Equity CEO Jacqueline van den Ende, and former Member …

more

Organisations and brands:

Lidl netherlands

© Lidl
Retail & E-Commerce

Lidl Netherlands Expands and Optimizes Meat Substitute Range

Lidl Netherlands announces that it has taken a further step in the protein transition with an improved range of meat substitutes. The taste and texture have been improved, and the nutritional values have been optimized. More than two-thirds of the meat substitutes now meet the “Schijf van Vijf” (Wheel of Five) criteria. “Schijf van Vijf” is the official nutritional guideline in the Netherlands, published by the Voedingscentrum (Dutch Nutrition Center). It is intended to promote a healthy and balanced diet. The products have also been given new packaging that requires less packaging material. With this adapted range, the supermarket wants to encourage customers to choose meat substitutes more often. “Clear goal in sight” Gijs Regtuit, a buyer at Lidl Netherlands, stated, “Before we started this …

more

Organisations and brands:

Dutch Structuring Technologies

Image: Dutch Structuring Technologies on LinkedIn
Manufacturing & Technology

Dutch Structuring Technologies Improves Precision of the “Next Big Technology” in Meat Alternatives

Textured protein producer Dutch Structuring Technologies (DST) is working to improve the precision of its innovative production technology using a solution developed by Rockwell Automation. DST is known for its novel Sheartex technology (previously called Continuous High Shear), which is said to be ideal for producing long-fibered whole cuts of plant-based meat or fish. Sheartex uses lower processing temperatures than extrusion, reducing the need for additives and post-processing. To improve the technology, DST has adopted Rockwell Automation’s Kinetix servo solution, which uses a range of intelligent devices to achieve precision control of different continuous shearing and mixing formulae. Co-developed with Dutch mixing system specialist Sobatech and supported by Rockwell Automation’s authorized distributor partner Routeco Netherlands, Sheartex reportedly has the potential to bring down the cost …

more

Vivici

© Vivici
Fermentation

Vivici Secures €32.5M to Expand Its Precision Fermentation-Derived Dairy Proteins

Dutch ingredients startup Vivici has secured €32.5 million in a Series A funding round led by APG (on behalf of one of the world’s largest pension funds, ABP) and Invest-NL. The round also saw participation from InnovationQuarter, along with existing shareholders dsm-firmenich and Fonterra. The news comes after Vivici secured its first customer offtake agreements for dairy proteins made with precision fermentation. The funding will be used to expand into new international markets, launch a second dairy protein ingredient, and establish long-term manufacturing capabilities. Through its proprietary protein platform, ViviteinTM, Vivici hopes to complement the protein production of the dairy industry. The company’s first ingredient, ViviteinTM BLG, is targeted at consumers in the active nutrition category. It is suitable for use in products such as …

more

Organisations and brands:

Jumbo plant-based yogurts

© Jumbo
Milk- and Dairy Alternatives

Jumbo Launches Plant-Based Yogurts Made From Dutch-Grown Soy

Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo has launched a new range of plant-based yogurts made from soy grown in the Netherlands. The retailer claims to be the first in the country to introduce this type of product. The yogurts have been produced by the plant-based brand De Nieuwe Melkboer and are available in three varieties — Natural, Vanilla, and Forest Fruits. They are sold under Jumbo’s ’Direct van de Boerderij’ (Direct From the Farm) brand. The products have been developed with a process that uses the whole soybean, meaning they are rich in fiber as well as protein. This also allows for a more efficient use of raw materials. The partnership between Jumbo and De Nieuwe Melkboer was established through Plant Protein Forward, an initiative by Foodvalley, …

more

Organisations and brands:

Cultivated leather

© Pelagen
Materials

Meatable and Pelagen Partner to Improve Scalability of Cultivated Leather

Cultivated meat company Meatable has partnered with animal-free leather producer Pelagen to improve the efficiency and scalability of cultivated leather. Through the partnership, Pelagen will explore the use of opti-ox™ — a technology developed by Meatable co-founder Mark Kotter to program stem cells into any cell type — to enhance the production of skin tissue from animal cells. The two Netherlands-based companies will also collaborate to develop the most effective cell culture media composition and process, with the aim of lowering costs, improving quality, and increasing speed and efficiency. Pelagen specializes in creating biologically comparable leather alternatives by engineering skin tissue without animals. The collaboration is significant for Meatable since it marks the company’s expansion outside the food industry. “We are proud to partner with …

more

Organisations and brands:

NoPalm Ingredients

© NoPalm Ingredients
Fermentation

NoPalm Ingredients’ Yeast-Based Oil Reaches Industrial Scale, Cutting Emissions by 90%

Dutch biotech company NoPalm Ingredients has scaled its fermentation-derived oil production to an industrial level of 120,000 liters, a first in the sector. The company successfully completed the production run at a Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO), demonstrating the feasibility of converting food industry side streams into food-grade oils using yeast-based fermentation. The development presents a promising alternative to palm oil and other tropical fats, addressing supply chain concerns and environmental impacts associated with traditional oil production. According to NoPalm Ingredients, its fermentation process results in 90% lower carbon emissions and requires 99% less land use compared to palm oil production. “Three years ago, we were fermenting at benchtop scale. This summer, we hit 5,000L, and today we’ve successfully scaled to 120,000L. With palm oil demand …

more

Organisations and brands:

Mosa Meat

© Mosa Meat
Cultivated Meat

Mosa Meat Smashes Crowdfunding Goal, Raising €1.5M in Just 24 Minutes

Cultivated beef company Mosa Meat has quickly exceeded its crowdfunding goal, securing €1.5 million in just 24 minutes. Within a day, the campaign had reached more than 150% of its target, attracting over 800 new investors. The campaign will remain open until February 25 or until the maximum funding threshold is met. And as of right now, the company has raised over €2.5 million. The newly raised funds will be used to complete the final stages of research and development ahead of restaurant sales, support marketing efforts for the company’s first product launch, and finance the production of the first cultivated beef burgers intended for sale. CEO Maarten Bosch stated that the initiative was launched in response to ongoing interest from individuals wanting to invest …

more

Organisations and brands:

The New Originals Company

M. Krön and M. Robin © The New Originals
Investments & Acquisitions

The New Originals Company Expands Tofu Portfolio with SoFine Acquisition

The New Originals Company is further expanding its expertise in the tofu convenience category with the acquisition of SoFine. With the acquisition of the established SoFine brand and the production facility in Landgraaf, the Netherlands, the New Originals Company aims to strengthen its innovative capabilities and expand its expertise with an extended product portfolio. Matthias Krön, CEO of The New Originals Company, stated, “We are very pleased to be sustainably expanding our expertise with the new site and almost one hundred highly qualified employees. With SoFine, we are expanding our portfolio with important innovations such as sliced tofu, diced tofu, minced tofu and tofu in water packs, and can thus contribute to the further development of the entire category. “The plant in Landgraaf complements our …

more

Organisations and brands:

© Albert Heijn
Retail & E-Commerce

Albert Heijn Reports Strong 2024 Sales Growth, Led by Plant-Based and Sustainable Products

In 2024, customers of Albert Heijn showed a clear preference for sustainable and healthy products. According to the annual report, the retailer achieved strong growth for the sixth consecutive year, resulting in an increased market share in both the Netherlands and Flanders. In the Netherlands, the market share rose from 36.8% in 2023 to 37.7% in 2024, according to figures from NielsenIQ. This growth was driven by an increase in customer numbers and greater loyalty among existing customers. Significant revenue growth for Albert Heijn’s plant-based private label Albert Heijn’s revenue growth was partly due to an increase in the sale of healthy and sustainable products. The share of products with a Nutri-Score of A or B increased by 0.8% to 48.8%, despite Albert Heijn tightening …

more

Organisations and brands:

Mosa Meat

© Mosa Meat
Approvals

Mosa Meat Requests First EU Market Authorisation for Cultivated Fat

Netherlands-based cultivated beef producer Mosa Meat has submitted its first request for Novel Foods market approval in the EU, seeking authorisation for its cultivated fat ingredient. The fat is designed to be blended with plant-based ingredients to create beef-style products such as hamburgers, meatballs, and bolognese. Following the regulatory submission, the cultivated fat will be evaluated by The European Commission (EC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The submission is an important step towards introducing cultivated meat products to the European market; EU laws do not allow cultivated products to be assessed as a whole, but instead require cultivated ingredients to be submitted individually. This is only the second time a cultivated product has entered the EU’s Novel Foods process — the first was …

more

Organisations and brands:

New cellular agriculture scale-up facilities open in the Netherlands

© Cultivate at Scale
Manufacturing & Technology

Two New Cellular Agriculture Scale-Up Facilities Launch in the Netherlands

Two new cellular agriculture scale-up facilities have opened in the Netherlands, as the country works to strengthen its position as a global leader in the sector and invest in the future of food. The facilities have been developed through a collaboration between several organisations — the Cellular Agriculture Netherlands Foundation (CAN), Biotechnology Fermentation Factory Ede (BFF), NIZO Food Research, Cultivate at Scale (CaS), Mosa Meat, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN) and the Dutch government’s National Growth Fund (NGF). Biotechnology Fermentation Factory Located in Ede, this facility has been set up in partnership with NIZO and focuses on precision fermentation. It offers a direct connection to NIZO’s existing food-grade DSP pilot plant and food application research. “We are incredibly excited about …

more

Arvesta

© Arvesta
Ingredients

Arvesta Launches Benelux’s First Plant-Based Protein Facility, Boosting Local Farming and Innovation

Arvesta, a full-service partner for the agricultural sector, announces the official opening of ‘Nuverta’, its innovative protein facility in Mettet, Belgium. Arvesta states that the facility is unique in Belgium and the Benelux, marking an important milestone in its mission: ‘From Field to Future’. The special feature of this protein plant is its ability to produce high-quality vegetable protein concentrates from local raw materials such as yellow peas. This is intended to create new income models for farmers and ensure the production of healthy, local, plant-based products. Vegetable protein concentrates from local raw materials The new protein plant in Mettet produces high-quality vegetable protein concentrates from local raw materials, in this case yellow peas. The project contributes to the sustainable production of animal and human …

more

Organisations and brands:

Rewe vegan superstore interior

© REWE group
Retail & E-Commerce

Benchmark Protein Transition: The Shift to Plant-based in Dutch Supermarkets is Steadily Progressing

Dutch supermarkets are clearly focusing on selling more plant-based and less animal-based food. They are actively experimenting with measures, such as reducing meat portion sizes. However, acceleration is needed to meet their goals of 60% plant-based protein sales by 2030. Meat and dairy products still feature as prominently in promotional flyers as in previous years. This is highlighted in the Protein Transition Benchmark by the think tank Questionmark, conducted with support from World Animal Protection. The benchmark compares the efforts of the seven largest supermarkets in the Netherlands to promote plant-based over animal-based products. Shift to plant-based underway Over the past year, major Dutch supermarkets have set ambitious goals. While these remain largely on paper, they are visibly taking steps to promote plant-based products at …

more

Organisations and brands:

load more