Those Vegan Cowboys seeks US food partners as Margaret’s Finest casein clears FDA review

Those Vegan Cowboys is seeking food companies to develop US applications for its Margaret’s Finest animal-free casein after receiving an FDA 'no questions' letter, with mozzarella, burger slices, cream cheese, feta and camembert among the cheeses it has already developed.

• Those Vegan Cowboys received an FDA 'no questions' letter following a joint casein safety notification with Formo.
• The company has developed several cheeses and is working with Hochland on burger cheese and XXL Nutrition on sports nutrition.
• The notification covers cheese alternatives at up to 25%. Broader applications remain separate from the uses covered by the letter.

“This is a defining moment for Those Vegan Cowboys and for animal-free dairy,” said Hille van der Kaa, CEO of Those Vegan Cowboys. “FDA clearance opens the door to the US market, and things will now move quickly. We are looking for bold food companies who want to build new applications with us.”

The Ghent-based company announced the development on October 28, describing it as the start of its commercial journey in the United States. It has not announced specific launch dates for the cheeses developed using Margaret’s Finest.

The FDA response followed a safety notification submitted jointly with Formo, which also announced a 'no questions' letter for its Enhanced Casein. The companies said the notification is the first for precision fermentation-derived casein to complete this stage of FDA review.

Their shared research collaboration concluded in 2025, and both companies now develop and sell their ingredients independently. The joint notification was filed in December 2025 and covers recombinant αS1-casein, identified in the FDA’s GRAS Notice Inventory as GRN 1312.

A 'no questions' letter means the agency has no questions regarding the notifier’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) conclusion under the specified conditions of use. It is not a product approval.

The notification covers cheese analog applications at concentrations of up to 25 grams per 100 grams. Infant formula and products under US Department of Agriculture jurisdiction are excluded. The FDA review examined the ingredient’s identity and composition, manufacturing process, allergenicity, toxicology and dietary exposure.

For Those Vegan Cowboys, the immediate commercial opportunity includes working with established manufacturers to turn its casein into finished products. The company already collaborates with Hochland on burger cheese and XXL Nutrition on sports nutrition, alongside its work with Dutch cheese producer Westland Kaas.

In a separate LinkedIn announcement, van der Kaa described the cheese portfolio awaiting commercialization: “A big day for Margaret’s fans in the US, for we have amazing cheeses waiting in the wings: pizza-perfect mozzarella, goat-free feta, a cream cheese, camembert and gouda slices, coming soon to many an American hamburger.”

She also acknowledged Formo as the company’s filing partner, crediting the collaboration behind the regulatory submission.

Margaret’s Finest is both the name of the casein ingredient and the company’s protein discovery platform. Beyond cheese, Those Vegan Cowboys is exploring sports performance, coatings, clinical diets and infant nutrition.

Those development interests extend beyond the cheese applications covered by the completed review. In particular, infant nutrition is a research ambition rather than a use covered by this notification, which explicitly excludes infant formula.

The company produces casein through precision fermentation, using microorganisms that express casein-producing genes. The process supplies the milk protein without extracting it from cow’s milk.

However, animal-free production does not remove the protein’s allergen status. The jointly notified casein remains a milk allergen and is unsuitable for people with a milk allergy.

Those Vegan Cowboys was founded by Jaap Korteweg and Niko Koffeman following the sale of The Vegetarian Butcher to Unilever. Its research network includes Wageningen University, Leiden University and Ghent University, alongside collaborations with other precision fermentation companies.

Its sports nutrition work has also attracted public funding. In September, Those Vegan Cowboys announced a project with Interfood, HAS green academy and XXL Nutrition to develop protein-rich products using precision-fermented casein.

The consortium secured approximately €1.29 million (US$1.51 million) in public funding, with partner contributions bringing the total project budget to approximately €2.58 million (US$3.03 million). The project runs until March 31, 2028.

Those Vegan Cowboys is responsible for casein production and scale-up within that collaboration. Its partners contribute dairy protein expertise, product development, applied research and knowledge of sports nutrition consumers.

The work includes evaluating how the ingredient behaves in finished formulations, developing prototypes and assessing consumer acceptance. The consortium has described the program as preparation for potential market introduction, rather than an immediate product launch.

Following the FDA letter, Those Vegan Cowboys is inviting additional food companies in both the EU and the US to explore Margaret’s Finest applications. Its partnership discussions cover cheese development as well as further functional food uses, with inquiries directed to partnerships@thosevegancowboys.com

(Main photo shows camembert developed by Those Vegan Cowboys using Margaret’s Finest casein, produced through precision fermentation)

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