EAT BEER adds Lucas Camargo to drive brewery sidestream protein platform

EAT BEER Biotech GmbH has appointed Lucas Camargo as Head of Strategic Business Development & Growth, as the Stralsund-based company expands its work converting brewery sidestreams into protein ingredients for the food industry.

• EAT BEER appointed Lucas Camargo as Head of Strategic Business Development & Growth.
• Camargo previously held operational management roles at GEA and worked with Alfa Laval and Anheuser-Busch InBev.
• The company aimed to expand valorization pathways for brewer’s spent grain, including fungal fermentation and other biotechnological processes.

The company, a sister business of Störtebeker Braumanufaktur, said the appointment strengthened its strategic development as it sought to build a broader platform for breweries looking to create value from sidestreams.

EAT BEER has focused on the valorization of brewer’s spent grain into protein ingredients and other bio-based outputs for food applications. The company described its model as a holistic solution for breweries, combining process development, biotechnology, circular value chains, and market partnerships.

“Our platform approach has enormous potential for the brewing industry, and together with Lucas Camargo we aim to further expand and consolidate that potential. We are excited to strategically grow EAT BEER alongside Lucas,” said Jan Malte Nordmann, Managing Director of EAT BEER.

Camargo, 39, originally from Brazil, joined the company after a decade in operational management roles at GEA. He also brought food engineering and food technology experience from Alfa Laval and brewing group Anheuser-Busch InBev. He studied Food Technology, Bioprocess Engineering, Engineering, and Business Administration in São Paulo.

In his new role, Camargo will focus on developing and scaling business models within circular value chains for breweries. His responsibilities will include identifying new sidestream applications, leading strategic projects, supporting market strategies, and building partnerships. He will also work on structuring business models and aligning technologies, processes, and market requirements.

“The beverage market, biotechnology, and consumer behavior are all evolving rapidly, creating a wide range of new opportunities that breweries can benefit from in both the medium and long term. Our goal is to validate these opportunities quickly and integrate them into the EAT BEER platform,” said Camargo.

A key objective will be to integrate different valorization and application pathways for brewer’s spent grain into the company’s platform system. These include fungal fermentation as a technology enabler, alongside additional biotechnological processes.

The company said the aim was to provide breweries with scalable processes and new value creation opportunities over the medium and long term. The first projects are expected to launch soon in close collaboration with Nordmann and CTO Dr. Mark Schneeberger.

EAT BEER said that, despite progress in the technology, connecting traditional brewing with food production through alternative proteins and bio-based ingredients still required pioneering work across technical, strategic, and digital disciplines.

Camargo’s international network is also expected to support the company’s expansion. He brought connections across Latin America, the Nordics, and Switzerland, regions where biotechnology and industrial process efficiency are gaining momentum.

“Ultimately, EAT BEER operates as a network-based platform where different partners contribute their expertise and generate synergies together,” said Camargo. “That’s why we are intentionally focused on building long-term strategic partnerships.”

Camargo said his interest in upcycling was also personal.

“Upcycling is more than a professional topic for me. I grew up in an environment where avoiding food waste was simply part of everyday life. At the same time, during my work in the brewing industry, I came to see brewer’s spent grain as a highly undervalued resource. That contradiction had a major impact on me and continues to drive my ambition to make beer production significantly more sustainable,” said Camargo.