Plantbased

Brabant leads the transition to alternative proteins. We are working hard to create sustainable food systems that provide enough high-quality food for everyone in the future, while protecting our environment. Together with multiple successful entrepreneurs, Brabant is focusing on the transition from animal to alternative proteins.

Need for alternative proteins

The need for alternative proteins is growing fast. Apart from the US, the Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world. This shows how important our country is in the global food market and its potential to lead change. Brabant, in particular, has all the ingredients to develop innovative, sustainable food systems and market them far beyond the borders.

Global food demand

With ongoing climate change, global population increase, and geopolitical disturbances, food security has never been higher on the agenda. Most of the world’s food systems are heavily animal-based, highly demanding on resources such as water and land, and create environmental problems such as CO2 effluent from cows. Experience has shown that high-intensity arable farming is also detrimental to the environment, leading to reduced biodiversity, soil exhaustion, and monocultures that bring disease vulnerability.

Brabant: a hub for food innovation

Brabant is perfectly located to meet the needs of the transition to plant-based food. The region is rich in Agrifood disruptors that leverage its High Tech sector to create what could be a paradigm shift in future food production. The region is full of innovative Agrifood companies that use its High Tech sector to create new ways of producing food. Brabant is like a huge testing ground, with lots of farmland, greenhouses, and indoor farms where new ideas can be tried out, plus the desire to collaborate that exists throughout Brabant across all sectors. Consequently, Brabant is the perfect hothouse for farming innovation. Everywhere you look, there are startups and growing companies pushing the boundaries and creating the future of Agrifood.

Current challenges

The transition to plant-based food in Brabant is not without its hurdles. One of the primary challenges is scaling production to meet the increasing demand. As more consumers become aware of the environmental and health benefits of plant-based diets, the demand for these products is very high.

Another major challenge lies in improving the taste and nutritional profile of alternative proteins. Although plant-based foods have made great advances in recent years, they often still cannot match the taste and texture of traditional (animal) products. It is crucial to ensure that these alternatives offer similar or superior nutritional benefits so that they are accepted by a wider audience. This requires ongoing research and development to innovate and refine plant-based products to meet consumer expectations.

Brabant: The Scale-Up Plant of Europe

Despite these challenges, the future prospects for plant-based food in Brabant are incredibly promising. Much of our food production and technology excellence is centered around Brabant. It’s central location, connecting leading food technology universities like Wageningen University & Research, TU Delft, and Universiteit Gent, is key to its development as a scale-up ecosystem. The blend of industry knowledge and academic R&D drives product development from small to large-scale production. In addition, the presence of multiple value chains for the existing food, agri-and pharma sectors, amongst others, provides an excellent framework to leverage.