Scaling the future of food: The Protein Brewery journey

The Protein Brewery is one of Europe’s most promising food tech scale-ups, pioneering a new generation of sustainable food ingredients through fermentation. Based in Breda, the company is on a mission to reshape how protein is produced, combining biotechnology, scalability and nutrition to meet the demands of a growing global population.

At the heart of its innovation is Fermotein®, a fungi-based, whole-food ingredient produced via a patented fermentation process. Rich in complete protein, prebiotic fibre and essential micronutrients, Fermotein® is designed to bring together nutrition, functionality and sustainability in a single ingredient. Its neutral taste and smell make it easy to integrate into a wide range of applications, from dairy alternatives and baked goods to snacks and meal replacements.

What sets The Protein Brewery apart is its ability to scale. The company uses biomass fermentation to convert sugars into nutrient-dense fungal biomass, a process that requires significantly fewer resources than traditional protein production while remaining cost-efficient at industrial scale. This positions Fermotein® as a practical solution for food manufacturers looking to improve both the nutritional value and environmental footprint of their products.

With a strong foundation in biotechnology and a clear commercial focus, The Protein Brewery is now entering its next phase of growth. Backed by leading international investors, the company is expanding its production capacity and preparing for further global rollout, particularly in Europe and the United States.

Meet the keynote speaker

At LEVEL UP, CEO Thijs Bosch will share the story behind The Protein Brewery’s journey, from developing breakthrough fermentation technology to building a scalable business in the global protein transition. His keynote will focus on what it takes to move from innovation to market adoption, and how scale-ups can turn technology into real-world impact.

The Protein Brewery exemplifies a new generation of European scale-ups unified in the ambition of the Scale Up Plant of Europe: science-driven, globally ambitious and focused on tangible solutions. Their journey shows how innovation can move beyond the lab and into the food system, delivering better nutrition for people and the planet.