De Nieuwe Melkboer/The New Milkman
- Type
- Food & Ingredient Manufacturer
- Location
- Enschede, Netherlands
- Industries
- Alternative proteins, Food ingredients & products, Food reformulation, Shortening supply chain, Arable farming, Crop / plant science
- Domains
- Dairy alternatives, Processed food products, Plant based primary products, Soy, Proteins, Ingredients, Dairy products
- Technologies
- Precision fermentation, Biotechnology & sustainable inputs, Processing
About De Nieuwe Melkboer/The New Milkman
De Nieuwe Melkboer is a Dutch plant-based dairy company based in Twente that grew out of a family dairy farm. The founders, Bart and Tom, describe the business as the first plant-based dairy farm in the Netherlands, built after they decided to move from cow-based milk production to plant-based alternatives.
The company focuses on locally grown soy and aims to offer a transparent, Dutch-made alternative to conventional dairy and imported plant-based products. It serves consumers looking for plant-based yogurt alternatives, and also supplies retailers, hospitality businesses, and foodservice customers in bulk and wholesale formats.
Core Values
- Local sourcing: The company emphasizes soy from Dutch soil and a short, transparent chain from farm to customer. It highlights fair pricing for farmers and local production in Twente.
- Natural ingredients: De Nieuwe Melkboer says it uses as many natural ingredients as possible and avoids unnecessary additives, aiming for a clean and straightforward product profile.
- Sustainability: The business presents soy as a sustainable crop and stresses local cultivation, reduced transport, and a production model that avoids waste by using the whole soybean.
- Animal-free innovation: The company’s move from dairy cows to plant-based production reflects a commitment to future-oriented food production with a plant-based alternative to dairy.
Unique Aspects
- First plant-based dairy farm in the Netherlands: The company states that it converted its dairy farm into the country’s first plant-based dairy farm, making the transition from milk production to soy-based yogurt alternatives.
- Farm-to-cup production in Twente: It says that everything happens on its plant-based dairy farm in Twente, from growing the soy to filling the cups.
- Whole-soybean processing: The company processes the entire soybean into its yogurt, which it says creates a fiber-rich product and avoids a residual waste stream.
- Dutch soy chain: De Nieuwe Melkboer positions itself as a Dutch alternative to imported plant-based products, using soy from its own farm and other Dutch farmers.
- Hospitality and retail reach: Its products are sold through selected supermarkets, specialty stores, and horeca channels, and the company also offers bulk packaging for professional customers.