Rival Foods has secured its initial commercially viable scale production location in the Netherlands, with production set to begin in the early summer. This move will pave the way for increased food service distribution across the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and France and retail distribution the following year.
The company is a food tech spin-off from Wageningen University & Research, founded in 2019 by Birgit Dekkers and Ernst Breel. It uses special shear cell technology to create meat-like textures from plant-based proteins.
Unlike other plant-based food companies that use extrusion technology, Rival Foods can create thick, fibrous textures that mimic the sensory experience of animal-based products while offering high nutritional value and using a minimum amount of ingredients.
It has already begun offering chicken-like products to select restaurants in The Netherlands and Germany, including marinated chicken fillets, chicken blocks for skewers, and pulled chicken. The company is also developing products in other categories, such as red meat and fish, which will be launched later in the year.
While many processed plant-based products are available, only some whole-cut plant-based products are currently on the shelves, which Rival Foods believes will eventually make up to 50 per cent of the plant-based meat category.
To achieve this goal, Rival Foods provides its clients with great-tasting, affordable, and healthy products, addressing an apparent demand from consumers. The company's new production location will allow it to reach new customers with its products.
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