The Protein Community (TPC) is a platform with more than 100 partners set up in 2017 by Foodvalley NL, the provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel and Oost NL. TPC stems from the ‘Groene Eiwitversneller’, a pilot of 30 SMEs to test whether plant protein innovations could be accelerated to the market. The pilot was successful because there was a great balance of infrastructure, creativity and a diversity of stakeholders: from retailers to investors. The success was reason to scale up and internationalize, The Protein Community was born.
The Protein Community, powered by Foodvalley NL, connects alt-protein start-ups and corporates world wide. Accelerating their innovations and business growth by coupling them by inspiring international partners, capital, unique facilities and knowledge and providing in-depth events. Benefit from our many years of experience and become part of our community!
TPC is the first global platform for ingredient suppliers, food manufacturers and other stakeholders looking for ready-made plant-based, vegan or vegetarian solutions. It enables them to expand their business and meet the changing consumer demand for a healthier and more sustainable diet with more plant-based products.
TPC helps current and future suppliers of plant protein ingredients, intermediates, consumer products and technologies develop and commercialize their innovative products.
With a long track record of delivering sustainable, plant-based protein solutions, TPC fits in with the Netherlands’ world leadership position in this rapidly growing field. By providing ready-to-use ingredients, products, technologies and services, TPC partners contributes to accelerating the protein shift to sustainable plant proteins.
I joined one year ago and i learned so much about the basics of plant-based protein and the players. And the good thing is, it is a low entry to get connected to people. It this point we are even doing tests with people from the Community.
Ewoud de Voogd – AlgaeForFood We are with many companies in the TPC-Community. Sometimes we are competitors, but we also have a common goal: that we want to develop the plant-based market. If we think we can do it alone, we aren’t thinking big enough. We need each other to develop a market.
Klaas-Jan Zuidam – Unilever 
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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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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SmaakPark BV, based in Ede, has received a substantial contribution towards the realisation of its Fermentation Lab from the Shared Pilot Facilities Fund, which represents a consortium of interested parties. The lab will span an area of approximately 110 square meters, not including the accompanying greenhouse complex and breeding ponds, and will be listed as part of the Shared Facility Finder (SFF). The Fermentation Lab will serve as an essential resource, accessible to all stakeholders through the SFF. This initiative is expected to promote innovation and facilitate research in the food industry by promoting collaboration and shared usage of facilities.
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Like a Pro aims at mainstreaming alternative proteins, making them accessible, available, and acceptable to everyone and everywhere.
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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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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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