Feed Design Lab

About Feed Design Lab

Feed Design Lab is a practice-based research and education center for innovation and sustainability in the animal feed sector. It brings together more than 100 partner companies from across the sector, including partners from the Netherlands and abroad, to work on new ingredients, new technologies, and more sustainable feed production.

The organization combines a pilot plant, training activities, and project development under one roof. It positions itself as an independent place where companies can test ideas, validate new formulations and technologies, and build knowledge through hands-on learning.

Feed Design Lab was founded out of a sector-wide need for independent R&D facilities and training. Its history reflects a collaborative model built around open innovation, knowledge sharing, and practical support for the feed industry.

Core Values

• Innovation: Feed Design Lab focuses on developing and validating new recipes, raw materials, and technologies for the feed sector. Its activities are designed to help companies turn ideas into practical applications.
• Sustainability: A central goal is to contribute to a more sustainable animal protein chain and to support the transition toward more sustainable feed production. Projects often emphasize circularity, new ingredients, and resource efficiency.
• Knowledge sharing: The organization is built on open innovation and the exchange of expertise among partners. Training, workshops, and network events are used to spread practical knowledge across the sector.
• Hands-on learning: Courses and demonstrations are strongly practice-oriented, with the pilot plant playing a key role in teaching and experimentation. The emphasis is on learning by doing rather than theory alone.

Unique Aspects

• Unique combined institute: Feed Design Lab says it is unique in Europe because research, pilot-feed production, and education take place in the same institute.
• Large partner network: More than 100 companies from the feed sector, in the Netherlands and abroad, participate as partners and actively contribute to the network.
• Flexible pilot facility: Its pilot plant is designed as a compact version of a modern feed factory, with modular use of individual components for testing, demonstrations, and production trials.
• Structured partner model: The organization works with community partners and chain partners, with chain partners forming the Advisory Board and helping set the activity program and strategic direction.
• Sector collaboration: Feed Design Lab collaborates with Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo on research related to the bio-circular economy, nutrients, and new technology.