Happy Plant Protein unveils flexible faba bean TVP, advancing a cleaner, simpler approach to plant-based ingredients

Finnish food-tech company Happy Plant Protein has introduced its first textured vegetable protein ingredient at Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) in Paris, unveiling a faba bean-based TVP designed to make plant-based and hybrid products easier and more cost-effective to develop. The debut marked the public launch of the company’s patented extrusion technology, which converts ordinary legume flour directly into textured protein – an approach it said could lower cost, cut processing steps, and strengthen regional protein supply chains.

Happy Plant Protein was also named a finalist in the FiE Startup Challenge in the 'Most Innovative FoodTech Solution' category. The recognition highlighted growing interest in technologies that can simplify plant-based ingredient manufacturing while improving nutritional quality, sourcing flexibility, and performance in end products.

“It’s encouraging to see this category recognised since it shows how much our mission matters globally. We aim to make food healthier for both people and the planet. Our long-term vision is to provide the food industry with a protein that enables the production at a fraction of cost and complexity of existing solutions,” said Jari Karlsson, CEO & Co-Founder of Happy Plant Protein.

The company’s technology centers on a dry, chemical-free extrusion process that turns flour into textured protein in a single step. It relies only on heat and pressure, removing the need for the extraction, water use, and energy-intensive drying required for traditional protein isolates. According to the company, this also avoids the wastewater streams and off-flavors often associated with conventional legume protein production.

Karlsson said this shift matters for manufacturers looking for cleaner and more regionally adaptable supply chains. “Traditional protein isolates require chemical extraction, large amounts of water, and energy-intensive drying, producing wastewater and often leaving off-flavours. Happy Plant Protein bypasses this entirely by using a chemical-free dry extrusion process to transform local flours directly into textured protein. This approach strengthens regional protein independence and reduces reliance on imported isolates,” he said.

A key focus at FiE was how the technology allows manufacturers to adjust functional characteristics such as bite, texture, and hydration during the extrusion step itself. Because the protein can be tailored for applications ranging from firm, meat-like structures to lighter, porous formats, companies can fine-tune performance without altering production lines. Happy Plant Protein said the material works with a wide range of legume and cereal flours and has been tested successfully across multiple extrusion systems, enabling producers to incorporate raw materials available in their own regions.

The faba bean ingredient showcased in Paris was developed to deliver a neutral taste and smell, an important hurdle for plant-based developers. The company said the process reduces bitterness and the beany notes common in many legume-derived proteins, helping manufacturers create products with cleaner flavor profiles and simpler ingredient lists.

Happy Plant Protein emphasized that the technology can be added to existing production lines with minimal investment, making it suitable for both large processors and mid-sized manufacturers seeking to expand their plant-based ranges. Because it uses flour as the input, the approach supports local sourcing strategies and may help improve food independence in regions aiming to reduce imported protein volumes.

The TVP’s adaptability means it can be used in a broad set of categories, including meat analogues, prepared meals, snacks, and blended formulations. The company said it is seeing strong commercial interest across both food companies and ingredient suppliers, driven by the flexibility of the process and the ability to create cost-efficient products tailored to specific applications.

Happy Plant Protein Oy, founded in Finland, focuses on solving one of the persistent challenges in plant protein development: the off-flavors that emerge from conventional processing. Its patented one-step method removes isolates, chemicals, and waste streams entirely, aiming to provide manufacturers with simpler, clean-label ingredients that can be integrated directly into existing workflows.

With demand rising for high-quality, sustainable, and regionally produced proteins, the company’s appearance at FiE marked a notable moment for a technology positioned to reduce both the complexity and cost typically associated with textured plant proteins.