FrieslandCampina and De Nieuwe Melkboer forge plant-based partnership
De Nieuwe Melkboer (The New Milkman) has partnered with FrieslandCampina to develop their local chain for plant-based dairy alternatives.
De Nieuwe Melkboer is the first company in the Netherlands to use locally-grown protein crops to make dairy alternatives. It was founded by Bart and Tom Grobben, who started to cultivate plant proteins for dairy alternatives in 2016 on their family-owned dairy farm, which is a member of the FrieslandCampina cooperative.
De Nieuwe Melkboer has been on the market for a year and a half with a soy drink and plant-based alternative to yogurt, and now has the ambition to further expand its range.
“The Netherlands has a progressive agricultural sector, and this should also include a local chain for plant-based dairy alternatives. We believe that FrieslandCampina can support us like no other with all its knowledge and expertise,” the Grobben brothers explained.
But what does Dutch dairy giant FrieslandCampina hope to get out of the tie-up?
“The primary aim of this partnership for FrieslandCampina is to gain insights into this new local chain, and to look into new growth opportunities for the member-farmers in our cooperative,” a FrieslandCampina spokesperson told Dairy Reporter. “De Nieuwe Melkboer and FrieslandCampina will work together to further develop a local chain of plant-based alternatives for dairy.
"For this, De Nieuwe Melkboer can rely on the knowledge, expertise and support of FrieslandCampina, whereas FrieslandCampina will gain valuable insights into the local growing of protein crops and how these are processed.”
Dustin Woodward, MD of FrieslandCampina Netherlands, added: “De Nieuwe Melkboer responds creatively to two important trends: local and plant-based. We are delighted that De Nieuwe Melkboer has its origins at the dairy farm of one of our members and we are happy to support Bart and Tom in realizing their dream. We look forward to working with De Nieuwe Melkboer and learning from each other.”
