Those Vegan Cowboys lands €1.2 million backing for cow-free sports nutrition

Those Vegan Cowboys has joined forces with Interfood, HAS green academy and XXL Nutrition on a €2.58 million (US$3.03 million) project to develop sports nutrition products using animal-free casein produced through precision fermentation.

• The consortium has secured €1.29 million (US$1.51 million) in public funding to develop protein-rich sports nutrition products based on precision fermentation casein.
• Those Vegan Cowboys will focus on casein production and scale-up, while Interfood, HAS green academy and XXL Nutrition will contribute expertise spanning applications, research and consumers.
• Running until March 2028, the project will examine technical performance, product development and consumer acceptance as the partners prepare potential products for market introduction.

The €1,290,185.87 (US$1.51 million) subsidy has been awarded through the OPZuid program, with funding coming from the European Regional Development Fund, the Dutch government and the province of North Brabant. Contributions from the four partners bring the total project budget to approximately €2.58 million (US$3.03 million).

Named Pioneer, Pilot, Powerhouse - Brabant Breaking New Ground in Precision Fermentation, the project will run until March 31, 2028.

Those Vegan Cowboys produces casein using microorganisms through precision fermentation rather than extracting it from cow's milk. Casein is one of the principal proteins found naturally in milk and is widely used across food and nutrition applications.

The company will use the project to continue scaling production of its casein while working with the other partners to understand how the ingredient performs in finished foods.

"With our stainless steel cow Margaret, we're showing that casein can be made without animals too. The next step is translating that protein into products people actually want to use: nutritious, tasty and affordable," said Hille van der Kaa, CEO of Those Vegan Cowboys.

"In this consortium we're bringing together the knowledge to take that step. In doing so, we're also building a new source of protein for a world where food security matters more every day."

A major part of the work will focus on moving from the protein itself to products suitable for the sports nutrition market. The consortium plans to study the functional behavior of precision fermentation casein in food formulations and develop prototypes of high-protein products.

Consumer research will run alongside the technical work, examining expectations around products containing fermentation-derived casein and identifying applications with the strongest potential.

Interfood will contribute its knowledge of dairy proteins, product development and international nutrition markets. The company will also host a proving ground where expertise in precision fermentation and product development can be brought together and tested in practice.

"Global demand for protein is growing faster than supply. That's why we're proud to be part of this consortium, which is working on the capabilities that will be needed in the future," said Wouter Berendsen, Global R&D Director at Interfood. "From our R&D department, we're looking forward to connecting market insights with science."

XXL Nutrition, meanwhile, will bring its experience of the sports nutrition category and access to consumer insight, helping the consortium assess how the new protein could translate into commercially relevant products.

HAS green academy will provide practice-based research and knowledge sharing, with students and researchers working alongside the commercial partners. The project is also intended to build closer links between research institutions and businesses working on precision fermentation in North Brabant.

"At HAS green academy, we develop, share and apply knowledge for sustainable, future-proof food systems. Within our Protein Transition in Nutrition research group, we study how animal proteins and promising sustainable alternatives can complement each other in a more balanced food system," said Ingeborg Haagsma-Boels of HAS green academy.

"We want to translate that knowledge into practical solutions together with companies. That's why this project fits our ambition so well: it connects research and practice and lets us work together on the food chains of the future."

The consortium will spend the project period developing and testing products rather than launching them immediately. Alongside formulation and production work, the partners will investigate consumer acceptance and assess which applications offer the most promising route toward eventual commercialization.

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