FOODCOMPANIONS HOLDING BV

Their core work

FoodCompanions is a Dutch SME specializing in alternative protein sourcing and valorization — turning cereal side-streams, fungi (mycoprotein), and microalgae into food and feed ingredients. They bring industry expertise to large EU consortia focused on sustainable protein production and zero-waste biorefinery concepts. Their role spans the food value chain from biomass processing to protein ingredient development, with a clear focus on replacing conventional protein sources with sustainable alternatives.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

FoodCompanions began as a third-party contributor in PROMINENT (2015), focused on extracting protein from cereal industry by-products. By 2019, they stepped up to full participant roles in two projects — PLENITUDE and ProFuture — shifting toward more advanced protein sources: mycoprotein via biorefinery and microalgae. The trajectory shows a clear move from traditional agri-food waste valorization toward next-generation protein ingredients with stronger sustainability credentials.

Moving toward scalable, zero-waste production of alternative proteins (fungi and algae), positioning themselves at the intersection of biorefinery and future food ingredients.

How they like to work

FoodCompanions operates exclusively as a partner or third party — never as coordinator — suggesting they contribute specialized industry knowledge rather than managing large research programs. They work in sizable consortia (54 unique partners across their projects), indicating comfort in large multi-partner environments. Their progression from third-party to full participant status suggests growing confidence and deeper integration into EU research networks.

Connected to 54 unique consortium partners across 16 countries, indicating broad European reach through large Innovation Action and BBI consortia. Their network is heavily rooted in the bio-based industries and food innovation ecosystem.

What sets them apart

FoodCompanions sits at the commercial end of alternative protein research — a private company bringing market perspective to scientific consortia working on mycoprotein, microalgae, and cereal-derived proteins. As an SME focused specifically on protein ingredient companioning and valorization, they offer a rare combination of food industry knowledge and hands-on experience across multiple alternative protein platforms. For consortium builders, they represent an industry voice that can bridge lab-scale protein research and real food market needs.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PLENITUDE
  First-of-its-kind large-scale zero-waste biorefinery for mycoprotein — an ambitious scale-up project running until 2025 under the BBI framework.
• ProFuture
  Major EU effort on microalgae protein for food and feed, representing the frontier of alternative protein beyond plant-based sources.