How AI Is Shaping the Future of Protein Innovation, If We Let It
At Generative ProtAIn, an event hosted by The Protein Community at Huijbregts Groep in Helmond on May 13, a central message echoed through the day: artificial intelligence isn’t a futuristic add-on. It’s here and it can accelerate the protein transition. But while AI’s potential spans R&D, production, and consumer engagement, many companies still haven’t tapped into even its simplest uses.
The afternoon brought together pioneers who are already applying AI across the value chain. Jelle van Miltenburg from Wolk kicked things off by breaking down the two major categories of AI in food: supporting tasks like marketing and customer service, and core tasks like product formulation and process optimization. “Most companies haven’t even started with the supporting tasks,” he said. “Start small. This is the worst AI you’ll ever use, it only gets better.”
Willem Huijbregts (CEO) and Erik van den Nieuwelaar (Innovation Manager) took the audience behind the scenes at Huijbregts Groep, showcasing how AI improves production reliability and operator wellbeing. Their in-house AI system powers predictive maintenance and allergen control while keeping data secure and operations human-centered.
The spotlight then shifted to biotech. Bosco Emparanza Garcia, CEO of MOA Foodtech, explained how their AI platform Albatros shortens R&D timelines from months to weeks by matching side streams with microbial strains for fermentation. The result? Scalable, sustainable, clean-label protein ingredients and a blueprint for circular innovation.
Consumer insights also got an AI upgrade. Michele Tufano, PhD researcher in AI and Computer Vision, wowed the room with a live demo of his AI-powered consumer testing platform: Eatpol. Using facial recognition, voice sentiment, and bite counting, the tool makes product validation faster, cheaper, and far more realistic, especially for startups.
Rounding out the speaker lineup, Jens Hellewaard from Het Volksportret revealed how AI helps map 100 real-world consumer communities in the Netherlands. His work with hybrid meat concepts showed that consumer perception is highly sensitive and that testing messaging before launch is essential.
The final hour was reserved for Networking Drinks & Bites, featuring tastings from Monkeys By The Sea, Favamole, and Rival Foods and offering attendees a chance to connect, reflect, and imagine what’s next.
The consensus? AI is ready, but we must take the first step. That means:
- Start small, using AI for easy wins in supporting tasks
- Structure your data to unlock future potential
- Innovate safely, using local models where needed
- Keep humans in the loop, always
The protein transition demands speed, creativity, and collaboration. AI can help, but only if we invite it to the table.