Plant protein project connects Dutch soybean chain

A two-year project, connecting every link in the local Dutch soybean supply chain from field to supermarket shelf, has just come to fruition. The results highlight the benefits of collaboration in developing new plant-protein products.

Innovation Performance Contract

Locally-grown soybeans was one of five starting points for the project, Transition to Plant Proteins, an IPC (Innovation Performance Contract). IPCs are government-subsidized cooperative projects between SMEs, in the same region, chain or sector, that collaborate in a multi-year innovation process. This particular IPC aimed to speed up the development of new products based […]

Rethink Protein transition challenge – The Winners

ReThink Protein is an international competition for technical students. Participants were challenged to develop a business idea or prototype that is healthy, affordable and sustainable in the field of protein (transition). 27th of June the finals took place. Winning teams Grain gain (prototype) and Swap (ideation) won €5000 and support from Starthub and The Protein Cluster.

The Protein Cluster as impact partner and jury
TPC organized a masterclass during the kickoff for students. Besides, TPC was jury and coach for companies developing new prototypes the field […]

TPC – BOM plant based products for Dutch retail

On May 29th TPC and BOM hosted an acceleration session on plant based products suitable for (Dutch) retail. Think of meat/milk/egg alternatives (or better called ‘successors’). Speakers from industry Michael Luesink (BOON) and Peter Schouten (Schouten Europe) shared their ‘road to retail’ story. A succesfull meeting with over 60 attendees.

Schouten Europe is one of the first companies specializing in development and production of plant based meat alternatives, introducing these products in Dutch and European retail shelves.

Anneke Ammerlaan is a well-known trend researcher and food watcher. As a culinary journalist […]

Horizon 2020 Project on Sustainable Production and Processing of Protein-rich Crops

PROTEIN2FOOD aims to develop high-quality food protein from multi-purpose seed crops and grain legumes, through optimised, sustainable production and processing methods in Europe. TPC members are invited to share their insights and challenges and become a stakeholder. On June 6th a stakeholders workshop will be organised.

PROTEIN2FOOD’s objectives are:

• to develop innovative, cost-effective and resource-efficient food crops that are high in protein, with a positive impact on human health, the environment and biodiversity
• to significantly enhance the quality and quantity of proteins from selected seed crops (quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat) […]
  

TPC meets Green Protein Investors

On April 18^th TPC hosted an acceleration session on Green Protein Investments. Investors Kim Anders Odhner from New Crop Capital, Willem Blom from Plantbase and Loet Rammelsberg from StartLife presented their views on the Green Protein world, top trends and what they are looking for in new protein propositions.

TPC members had the chance to introduce their propositions and products to the team of investors.

More information about the follow up?

Martine Boetje | Project Manager The Protein Cluster
info@theproteincluster.com

The protein cluster Member update

After the launch of The protein cluster end 2017, the TPC network now counts 24 Dutch SME companies collaborating and developing ingredients, technologies or food products within the area of plant protein transition.

In February the first member meeting took place at The Green East; pilot plant for green circular agri and food business. Possibilities for testing, co-developing several green protein ingredients or products is possible within the facilities of this TPC member company.

TPC represents a broad network of ingredient-, knowledge, facility suppliers in the area of plant protein innovations.

Member companies can benefit from business support, […]

“How can we put (more) pulses on the menu in a modern way? How can we make dried pulses trendy again?”

Students Food & Business (HAN Nijmegen) worked for a week on this challenge introduced by TPC member Pulse Shack. Students came up with practical, innovative, and creative ideas. In total over 150 students worked for several food companies within the food sector: from developing a mushroom-meat burger, food law games and new concepts for dried pulses.

“The students came up with very inspiring and useful ideas I can bring into daily practice. The winning team developed a new market stand […]

On Wednesday the 12^th of December, The Protein Cluster organized it’s second acceleration session, this time together with the “Veldbonen keten praktijk innovatie project” (in English the “Fava beans practice chain innovation project”). During this meeting, the central question was how to bring fava beans back on the market, both for food and feed applications, in the Netherlands. It was discussed how the various initiatives that already exist in this area can reinforce each other, and an overview of the different stakeholders in the entire chain was made.

This Fava bean project is led by Jolijn Zwart van-Kessel from ZwartvanKessel Advies and […]

Innovation project “Transition to Plant Proteins”

Now 1 year ago, The Protein Cluster clustered 13 Dutch SME’s with innovative plant protein ingredients, concepts and technologies in an Innovation Performance Contract (IPC) titled “Transition to Plant Proteins”. In a two year period, the companies will work in 5 sub-projects on vegetable ice-cream, spreads, sausages and other products based on algae, fava beans, seaweed, hemp and soy.

Last week, at the half of the project, the members of the IPC gathered at the Foodvalley NL office in Wageningen to share their progress during the first year. I was very pleased to hear that […]