Changing the food game across the globe Foodvalley Summit: The Protein Shift

Sharing the latest insights and future thinking, protein-shift leaders, showcasing best practices and building new intercontinental collaborations. That’s the aim of the online, interactive Foodvalley Summit, the Protein Shift, Tuesday morning October 13rd 2020, CET.

The event, organized by Foodvalley NL with its partners, Enterprise Singapore, the Good Food Institute India and FoodHQ New Zealand, is unique in its reach and ambition: to connect entrepreneurs and experts from Asia, Europe and Oceania to bring about a fundamental change in the production and use of protein. “When it comes to profiting from protein-shift opportunities, much of the news comes from the USA,” says Jeroen Willemsen, Innovation Manager Protein Shift at Foodvalley NL. “We want to highlight just how many groundbreaking innovations originate in Asia, Oceania and Europe. At our summit, we offer these companies and front-runners an international stage.”

Global issue

The protein shift is a global issue: everyone, from governments to industry to the start-up entrepreneur is facing unique challenges and opportunities. Not only financial and functional but often arising in the culture or history. Therefore developments across Europe, Asia and Oceania are central to the Foodvalley Summit program: 34 internationally-renowned contributors, bringing their inspiring visions of the futures of plant-based dairy, fish and meat. Corporates and start-ups in equal dialogue with each other.

Large and ‘small’, sitting together

At the Plant Dairy TableTalk, Will van den Tweel from the start-up Those Vegan Cowboys will announce ‘The era of cow-less cheese’, while Artem Khlebnikov, from Danone, will reveal how his company is already tapping into the potential of plant proteins.

Affordable meat analogues

At a different TableTalk, the audience will be introduced to a new generation of meat-analogues. Developed by visionary start-up entrepreneurs – like Abhinav Sinha of Good Dot – these forward-thinkers see their mission as making plant-based meat affordable to everyone. Sinha will ‘interview’ Kaline van Halder, founder of Meet Jack and one of the biggest promoters of jackfruit as a sustainable protein source. “Jackfruit seeds are an almost untapped natural source of protein. Let’s make the most of them,” she says.

Rocking Europe, going big in Asia

Many a pioneer has found success by reaching beyond the safety of country and continental borders, and that’s the story of Timo Recker. This German plant-protein entrepreneur, after the success of his LikeMeat adventure, moved to Singapore to bring his energy and experience to one of the newest plant-protein kids on the block: the soon-to-be-launched Next Gen Protein. “After rocking Europe, we are now going big in Asia,” says Recker.

Just as groundbreaking is the strategic vision of Dutch-based VION, a large meat-processing company, which is bridging the gap between animal and plant-based products, as VION COO Philippe Thomas will explain.

World’s first Plant Protein ‘Dragon’s Den’

The Protein Shift Summit’s closing event promises to be a real showstopper. Four international start-ups will pitch to a panel of world-famous investors. Start-ups like Eugene Wang of Sophie’s Bionutrients, bringing his entrepreneurial talents to the algae-challenge: “Microbial fermentation is the third pillar of alternative protein. Microalgae is the KING of nutrients.” Michiel van Deursen, one of the Dragon’s Den ‘investors’ can’t wait: “I am looking forward to meeting next generation, plant-powered entrepreneurs and their companies at the Foodvalley Summit.”