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The Protein Community

The Protein Community

Accelerating the
Protein Shift Together

The Protein Community is the driving force behind the scenes of the protein transition. As the first and largest community dedicated to the application of plant-based ingredients in food, The Protein Community has a proven track record of innovation and impact. With over 150 partners and an international network of 400+ entrepreneurs, it has enabled the launch and scale-up of more than 200 new products, ingredients, and technologies since 2017.

We facilitate contact, initiatives, and collaboration between all types of stakeholders in the alternative protein ecosystem. This ranges from ingredient suppliers to consultants, and from food manufacturers to
research institutes. The Protein Community is not just a platform; it’s a network of experts and game-changers, turning plant proteins into real business opportunities. By focusing on practical and achievable solutions that are shared in our events and in our communication channels, we empower our partners with insights, connections, and tools to make more impact with sustainable alternative proteins. Watch 3 partners of The Protein Community explain why they value our partnership.

Join The Protein Community

The Protein Community is a diverse network, bringing together start-ups, SMEs, corporates, and everything in between. Is your company contributing to the protein transition? Then you are welcome to join. As a partner of The Protein Community, you unlock exclusive benefits, such as:

  • Market and technical knowledge through online masterclasses, webinars, and events
  • Participation in (inter)national initiatives and projects
  • Tailored matchmaking within our international Food & Protein network
  • Personalized support to tackle your company’s unique challenges

We’re always looking to collaborate with passionate innovators. If you’re interested in becoming a
partner, get in touch with us today and be part of the future of protein
. Fill in the Form and we will invite you for an e-meeting.

Welcome to our newest partners

What partners say about The Protein Community

“Foodvalley’s The Protein Community is an excellent platform for companies innovating with protein. 1-2-Taste is pleased to be a part of it, helping to shorten the time to market for TPC partners by quickly providing the right ingredients. The network also enables 1-2-Taste to find new suppliers and expand our ingredient offerings on the 1-2-Taste platform.” 

Quote Jan KlawerJan Klawer, Co-Founder & CMO 1-2-Taste

“Via Foodvalley, we get the necessary entries and connections that I, as a farmer, wouldn’t usually get. This is very valuable for marketing our great products to consumers. Foodvalley has also provided great insights into the current trends and developments in the market and has offered us guidance on how to take the next steps.”

Quote Geert LindenholsGeert Lindenhols, Agraservice G. Lindenhols, Director Dutch Protein Farmers

Meet the Partners of The Protein Community

Meet 3 of our partners and learn more about The Protein Community in these introduction videos.

News & Events

The Golden Bean Award

The Golden Bean Award is more than just a pin: it’s a symbol of energy, inspiration, and connection. Crafted with a real bean of known origin, plated in gold for lasting brilliance, this unique piece is designed to be worn as a talisman, amulet, or conversation starter.

This award especially honors changemakers, the driving forces working behind the scenes to shape the future of alternative protein. It celebrates those who make a lasting impact without seeking the spotlight, recognizing their dedication and vision.

The Protein Transition Map

The Protein Transition Map is an online tool, used to enable a comprehensive insight into the protein transition landscape within the Netherlands. On the map you find more than 500 organisations working on the protein transition. Additionally, it provides an economic analysis with province-specific, and national data on all relevant actors within the Dutch Protein Transition. Is your organisation already on it?

As we look towards the future of food innovation, Foodvalley forecasts eight protein transition trends for the second half of the ‘roaring protein-twenties’, providing an exciting roadmap for industry transformation. Whether you’re a food innovator, sustainability advocate, or investor, these trends reveal a wealth of opportunities to reshape the protein landscape. Below, we unpack the highlights that we discussed during our Protein Community meeting and encourage you to dive deeper into each trend, indicating where you can provide a solution to accelerate.

Protein Transition Ecosystem

This non-exhaustive overview below highlights Dutch organisations, initiatives, programmes, and clusters that are collectively shaping the future of protein. Each entity is featured along with its primary focus areas, showcasing their contributions to this evolving field.

Growing and sourcing

Facilities

Consumption

Research and Innovation

Human Capital

Entrepreneurship

Governmental

International

The team

The Protein Community is supported by 7 Dutch Provinces

Community Advisory Group

Marc Arts

GreenFood50

Angelique Peterse

Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods

Willem Paulus

OostNL

Marian Verbruggen

Ruitenberg Ingredients

Explore the TPC initiatives

Initiatives

Plant Protein Forward

Relevant for
Shortening time to market

Foodvalley NL, together with Rabobank and Interprovinciaal Eiwitoverleg, are supporting crop-oriented value chain initiatives that contribute to a higher consumption of Dutch-grown plant-based proteins. Increasing the local availability, processing and consumption of plant-based proteins not only contributes to our protein self-sufficiency, but it also has the added benefits of greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen runoff reduction and increased biodiversity.  

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Protein Transition Map NL

Relevant for
Stimulating International collaboration

The Protein Transition Map NL offers an interactive platform showcasing the economic value of the Dutch alternative protein ecosystem.

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The Bean Deal

Relevant for
Shortening time to market

In 2022 the Bean Deal agreement for protein rich crops, in which 56 Dutch stakeholders, including regional and national governments, have committed to far-reaching objectives related to the uptake of protein rich crops for human consumption. The Bean Deal (also known as the Green Deal) is also a steppingstone for future initiatives (Co-fresh, Dutch Protein Farmers). This initiative continues into 2023 and beyond.

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Like a Pro

Relevant for
Shortening time to market

Like a Pro aims at mainstreaming alternative proteins, making them accessible, available, and acceptable to everyone and everywhere.

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Dutch Protein Farmers

Relevant for
Protein self sufficiency

This initiative seeks to improve the economic viability of locally produced crops in the Netherlands by bringing together protein crop farmers, creating critical mass and increasing valuation by the end users. This approach helps to organise a better value chain position for the farmers by, for instance, exploring the cooperative selling of their product as well as equipment sharing. This would result in a first national cooperation of growers of leguminous crops moving from niche to critical mass.

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Protein Facility Switch

Relevant for
Redefining Protein Industry

Investment in new facilities is badly needed to accompany the accelerating protein transition in the longer term. However, short-term solutions are also needed. Luckily existing facilities can be retrofitted for various alternative, plant protein applications. A perfect opportunity for existing companies looking to venture into this rapidly growing market. Foodvalley NL offers the opportunity to quickly check whether your current production space, machine or line can be made suitable for the processing of raw materials, the production or packaging of plant-based products. This way, you help the protein transition and create new business opportunities.

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CO-FRESH

Relevant for
Protein self sufficiency

The Co-fresh pilot case assembled a coalition that focuses on creating a competitive European value chain for fava beans that uses local sources and reduces carbon footprint. We expect to have the value chain quantified and an agreement on shared value/revenue distribution in place by October 2023.

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