The Protein Cluster welcomed its 100th member!
The Protein Cluster (TPC) recently welcomed its 100th member! The Protein Cluster is Foodvalley’s international network who connects plant-protein start-ups and corporates worldwide, accelerating their innovations and business growth.
With now 105 members this makes The Protein Cluster the largest plant protein community in the Netherlands. To celebrate this, we asked our newest members to introduce themselves, why they became member and what they bring to the community.
Flottweg: Efficient separation of plant-based proteins
Engineering company Flottweg specialises in separation technologies. In the past few years, the company has focused on the extraction of plant-based proteins. “The Netherlands is in the vanguard of the protein transition. With our efficient separation technology, we can contribute significantly to this transition.”
“There are many different kinds of plant-based proteins, and they all have their own characteristics. Potato protein is very different from soya protein, for instance. That is why we need a variation of technologies to efficiently extract the protein. This is Flottweg’s forte. We are prepared to share our knowledge of proteins and separation technologies, and we would like to join forces with other companies. Therefore, in October 2021, we joined the Foodvalley network, Innovation field Protein Shift and the Protein Cluster”, Liselotte van Donselaar explains. She is the owner of Flottweg Nederland.
Jack Link's: Explore and connect within the field of plant proteins
Jack Link's is a world leader in branded protein snacks and has a long-term vision for sustainable growth. Jack Link´s believes it is important to continue to explore and connect within the field of plant proteins. In 2021, Jack Link´s successfully launched its first meat-analogue "Vegerami Chickn´less bites" at Tesco in the UK. A great example of cooperation between ingredient suppliers, research institutes and their development team.
"Our EMEA headquarters is located in Amsterdam. Regionally, we are closely linked with research partners in Wageningen and also collaborate with several Foodvalley and TPC members in development projects. The unique concept of Foodvalley is to bring together companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multinationals, with experts in ingredients, production and also market insights. We believe that with our knowledge we can drive the protein shift across the food industry", Jan-Pieter Schretlen, Managing Director and Felix Ostertag, Head of R&D explains.
Angry Camel: Oriental healthy snacks ready for the market
Angry Camel consists of two enthusiastic entrepreneurs Kotaiba Aal and Bakr Jahhan, originally from the Middle East. Although they both came from the Middle East, Kotaiba lives in Sweden while Bakr lives in Germany. Both want to bring innovative oriental healthy snacks and superfoods to the market. They aim to challenge the existing snacking ecosystem and create value for farmers, producers and increase the well-being and health of consumers.
Angry Camel is a nascent idea, ready to take a step into the market. The transition in the protein market to a more sustainable food value chain requires different approaches and many innovative minds. To bring their idea to market, that’s what they were looking for and that is exactly what Angry Camel found at Foodvalley NL; a global network of food companies, scientists and researchers.
"We believe in building bridges and sharing knowledge and experiences, regardless of geographical location. Therefore, we seek expertise and knowledge on new methods for protein and superfood production. We came across Foodvalley and TPC when we searched on Google. Foodvalley's profile was interesting in terms of the services they offer, particularly the shared facility and the potential for scalability. In addition, the Netherlands is known for their innovative food ecosystems and the advanced technology in producing and processing the food. We found this an interesting fact and a motivation for us to be part of The Protein Cluster", tells Kotaiba and Bakr.
