The Protein Brewery
The Protein Brewery is a Dutch food ingredients innovator based in Breda, founded in 2020 and built around biomass fermentation. Its flagship ingredient, Fermotein®, is a whole-food mycelium ingredient made from fungal biomass and positioned as a nutrient-dense alternative for food and nutrition applications. The company serves food manufacturers, brands, and product developers looking for ingredients that combine nutrition, functionality, and scalability. It presents Fermotein® as a versatile ingredient for active nutrition, better-for-you foods, dairy alternatives, and nutraceutical-style products, with a focus on clean taste, easy formulation, and a lower environmental footprint. The Protein Brewery also positions itself as a scale-up with commercial readiness: it has moved from pilot and demonstration capacity into production, and it has secured regulatory approvals in key markets including Singapore, the United States, and the European Union. Core Values Nutrition : The company emphasizes whole-food nutrition, with Fermotein® combining protein, fiber, micronutrients, and bioactives in a single ingredient. Its messaging consistently focuses on helping create foods that support healthier diets. Sustainability : The Protein Brewery frames its work as part of a transition to food ingredients that use less land, water, and energy. It highlights fermentation as a more resource-efficient way to produce protein. Innovation : The company describes itself as pioneering a new category of mycelium-based ingredients through patented fermentation and scale-up capabilities. It stresses scientific development, regulatory progress, and product versatility. Collaboration : Its values and team culture emphasize working with customers, partners, and colleagues to accelerate the shift toward alternative food sources. The company presents itself as open to co-development and application support. Unique Aspects First EU-authorized novel mycelium ingredient : Fermotein® became the first novel mycelium ingredient authorized for sale in the European Union, marking a major regulatory milestone for the category. Commercial approvals in multiple markets : In addition to EU authorization, Fermotein® has regulatory approval in Singapore and self-affirmed GRAS status in the United States, supporting a multi-market rollout. Patented, low-capital fermentation process : The company says its process is less capital intensive than many alternative-protein approaches and can be scaled efficiently at its Breda facility. Strong investor backing : The Protein Brewery closed a €30 million Series B in 2025 and an €18 million Series B extension in 2026, with investors including Novo Holdings, Unovis Asset Management, Invest-NL, BOM, Madeli, and ABN AMRO Sustainable Impact Fund. Built-in production capacity in the Netherlands : The company has scaled from pilot and demo operations to commercial production in Breda/Mijkenbroek, and has stated plans to expand capacity beyond 2,000 metric tonnes.