Amersfoort,  The Netherlands,  2/9/2024

This summer, Rival Foods proudly celebrated its 5th anniversary. A great moment to reflect and look forward. The company looks back on a very successful year. Rival Foods established a new production location that was operational in less than 4 months, successfully launched products in the Netherlands and Germany and invested in the growth of the team. The company is now all set for commercial-scale production.

From start-up to scale-up

Co-founder Birgit Dekkers: “Rival Foods has developed from a start-up to a fully-fledged scale-up with a strong steadily growing turnover. A new phase also brings new opportunities and challenges. Not only in tapping into new markets, expanding our range and customer base, but we also faced the question of how we want to further develop and manage our growing company, and which roles, tasks, and competencies are required for this.

This led to co-founder Ernst Breel announcing that he would make way for new talent after five wonderful and intensive years. His talents lie in innovation, invention and the development of new technology-market combinations. Ernst has made an incredibly large and valuable contribution to where Rival Foods stands today.

We are grateful that Ernst remains available from the sidelines for expert advice, but first, we want to grant him his well-deserved rest before he starts looking for his next step.”

Succession and expansion of the management team

A large part of Ernst’s responsibilities are taken over by Bart de Bont (Operations manager) and Jort Zwiers (Team lead Engineering team). Both are highly skilled and well adapted at working at Rival Foods, which ensures a solid succession. From September, Allison Woolcott will strengthen the management team in the new position of Head of Finance.

Birgit: “I am enthusiastic about Allison’s arrival. Together with Willem Spigt, our Commercial Director, we are ready as a management team for the future!”

Geldrop, The Netherlands, 9/4/2024 – Rival Foods has signed the lease for its first commercially viable scale production location in the Netherlands. With production set for early this summer, Rival Foods is paving the way for scaling up distribution in food service across The Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and France, and next year also in retail. This step follows a 6 million Euro Series A round in September of 2022, along with scaling up of the company’s technology and team.

Founded in 2019 by Birgit Dekkers and Ernst Breel, Rival Foods is a FoodTech spin-off from Wageningen University & Research. Rival uses a proprietary technology called Shear Cell to create meat-like textures from plant-based proteins. Its unique production method enables the creation of whole muscle cut products from plants with a mild process.

Unlike the current Extrusion technology used by nearly all plant-based food companies, Rival Foods can create very thick, fibrous textures that mimic the sensation of eating the animal-based counterpart on all levels of the sensory spectrum, all with high nutritional value and using only a minimum amount of ingredients.

Currently, Rival Foods is selling a range of chicken-like products to select restaurants in The Netherlands and Germany, including a marinated chicken fillet, chicken blocks for skewers, and pulled chicken. The company is currently developing products in other categories like red meat and fish, and will be launching those later in the year.

With this range of products, Rival Foods is addressing a large and uncrowded part of the alternative protein market. While shelves are packed with products in the unhealthy processed category (burgers, sausages, nuggets, etc) there are currently almost no whole-cut plant-based products on the shelves.  Rival Foods believes that just as in animal-based proteins, the whole cut segment will eventually make up to 50% of the plant-based meat category creating a 2billion EUR market in the coming 5 years.  To get there, consumers want great-tasting, affordable, and healthy products – exactly what Rival Foods is offering their clients.

Picture of Rival Foods Production location: Willem Spigt (CCO), Birgit Dekkers (CEO, Co-founder), Ernst Breel (CTO, Co-Founder).

“One of the biggest obstacles to the success of plant-based whole cuts is achieving the right texture. With its best-in-market texturizing technology, Rival Foods is positioned to make a significant impact at the center of the plate. It’s exciting to see the team leaping towards the next milestone in scaling up.” – Martina Pace (CCO PeakBridge, Rival Foods Supervisory Board member)

“With the unveiling of our new production location, we embrace the opportunity to amplify our impact, reaching more customers with the products they love.” – Birgit Dekkers (CEO and co-founder Rival Foods).

As a widely recognized and favored meat option, Chicken holds a prominent position as one of the most consumed animal protein sources globally. Being a highly versatile meat product, chicken can be found in a variety of forms and preparation methods.

One of which is shredding the cooked meat in order to create so-called pulled chicken. The rise of its popularity is due to its juicy and tender texture, adaptability in various dishes, and the increasing preference for wholesome, protein-centric meals. However, industrial chicken breeding causes severe environmental concerns just as deforestation, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainable Food Innovation

Unsurprisingly, Rival Foods has developed a plant-based alternative that doesn’t only significantly reduce the environmental production impacts but also recreates the beloved juiciness of pulled chicken while showing a very similar nutrient level as its meat-based counterpart.

Next to its authentic protein level of over 27g, based on a mix of pea, wheat, and soy, our vegan Pulled Chicken consists of a total of only seven non-GMO ingredients that are free of additives. Using our self-developed technology allows us to recreate the unique tenderness of meat products, which makes it a great choice for a variety of cuisines and dishes.

If you are interested in exploring all plant-based innovations in our product portfolio, please click here.

More than Burgers & Wraps

Pulled Chicken is especially popular as a topping on burgers served with barbecue sauce, although there are many other dishes to explore. Thanks to its versatility, our plant-based pulled chicken can be served for various meals and diets.

Likewise, the preparation couldn’t be easier. Either heat it in the pan with some sunflower oil until it turns golden brown or grill our plant-based chicken alternative in the oven to get some extra crispiness. Once it has your preferred texture, just add your favorite BBQ sauce to make a traditional pulled chicken, or try it with a dressing in your next salad.

Three Pulled Chicken Recipes

1. Poké Bowl

More and more Bowl shops pop up in numerous countries and yet most of them use salmon, chicken, or tofu as their main protein source. We, therefore, suggest our sustainable and healthy solution to create a unique Poké Bowl different from anything out there. Just add some of our plant-based Pulled Chicken to your favorite bowl ingredients to enjoy a protein-packed and hearty version of your favorite meal.

2. Tacos

Traditionally eaten with ground beef, tacos don’t have the healthiest reputation, even though the all-time classic is one of the most iconic dishes of the Mexican cuisine. Since nutritious plant-based options are still rare to find, we can strongly recommend trying our vegan topping on your next taco. Simply top your filling with some of our pulled chicken to get an extra portion of delicious and juicy protein. We recommend adding some guacamole and plant-based sour cream!

3. Loaded Fries

Tired of boring fries as an unhealthy side dish? Then load up your fries with some fresh ingredients and top it with our plant-based chicken alternative. As shown, this increasingly popular snack perfectly fits the hearty flavor of pulled chicken and can be complemented with some additional beans, red onion, jalapeños, cherry tomatoes, and topped with plant-based cheese.

Are you interested in trying our plant-based pulled chicken or any other meat alternative on your next menu?

Feel free to get in touch with us and our sales team is happy to assist you with your request!

Rival Foods stands out as a pioneering Dutch FoodTech startup with a passionate commitment to crafting innovative plant-based meat alternatives. We produce a variety of unique products including Chicken Filet, Boneless Ribs, Pulled Chicken and Pork, as well as several other innovations that are currently under development. What truly sets our creations apart is the authentic whole-muscle fibrous texture, which is created through a self-developed and patented technology that enables the unique recreation of meat products to enrich a great variety of cuisines in a sustainable and healthy manner.

Rather than competing with other companies on processed meat products such as burgers and sausages, Rival Foods focuses on the other 50% of the meat market, the so-called whole cuts that are especially crucial for the food service industry. By only using a very limited amount of natural and plant-based ingredients, we promise our customers a nutritious and protein-packed selection of cruelty-free meat alternatives that are good for the planet, people and animals.

Why Work at Rival Foods?

Choosing to work at Rival Foods means committing to a brighter and more sustainable future of the food industry while joining a dynamic team of professionals with a great variety of backgrounds. Here is why:

High Ambitions for a Sustainable Future

At Rival Foods, we represent an ambitious team of product developers, mechanical and process engineers, as well as commercial managers that share the common vision of revolutionizing the food industry. We are driven by the vision to make plant-based nutrition the norm by providing the best possible quality of meat alternatives on the market. Therefore, we work tirelessly on developing new innovations of healthy and sustainable whole cuts.

Cutting-Edge Technologies

For those who thrive on technology and innovation, Rival Foods is the perfect working environment. Our team of engineers and product developers make use of the newest technology to create our plant-based products. Throughout our development departments, our experts explore the technological means of constantly improving our production processes and innovating new products.

Professional and Personal Development

Rival Foods provides a great platform for the professional and personal development of our team members, which is why we believe in giving everyone meaningful responsibilities from day one onwards. You will have a significant level of independence, regardless of your position and working department, to completely exploit your full potential.

Emphasis on Teamwork and Inclusivity

As our team currently consists of six different nationalities and an even greater variety of backgrounds, we strongly embrace diversity and welcome candidates of all genders and origins. Teamwork is at the heart of our success, and collaboration, as well as inclusivity, are not just words; they are values we live by.

Great Working Environment

Being located right in the heart of the Netherlands, the beautiful city of Amersfoort is not only a great place to stroll through the historic city center but also an aspiring region for startup companies. Our modern and light-flooded office offers everything our team could wish for including several meeting rooms, a large production area, a well-equipped kitchen as well as a great location close to public transportation.

How to Join Rival Foods?

Are you interested in being part of a team that is shaping the future of the food industry? Look no further and check out our current vacancies.

In case you would like to apply for an open position or have any remaining questions, feel free to reach out to us.

We are looking forward to hearing from you!

There was a significant rise in the popularity of plant-based meat alternatives in recent years. The growing demand for environmentally friendly and cruelty-free food products resulted in the foundation of several new business innovations.

While most companies use similar production techniques to create plant-based meat alternatives in the processed meat category, such as burgers, sausages and minced meat, Rival Foods is focused on the other 50% of the meat market the so-called whole-cuts. These products are packed with natural ingredients that recreate the texture, juiciness, and flavor in an authentic way. Good for planet, people and animals.

The Background Story

It all began in 2014 when our co-founder Birgit Dekkers started researching the technological opportunities of plant-based proteins and how to create textures with them. After finalizing her PhD project at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, physicist and engineer Ernst Breel joined Birgit to co-found Rival Foods in 2019. Ever since our start-up engaged numerous employees that work tirelessly on the development and commercialization of our plant-based meat alternatives driven by the need to restore our food system.

Mission

In addition to contributing to sustainable and healthy nutrition, the core mission of Rival Foods is to accelerate the protein transition and to revolutionize the food industry by introducing plant-based products that suit any type of cuisine and any type of diet. Therefore, we aim to cooperate with a variety of commercial customers in order to make our products internationally accessible to a wide range of consumers.  We craft foods, we feel good about: plant-based foods without compromises.

Products

Research and development of the Rival Foods team over the past years resulted in the production of the following four products:

Chicken Filet

As one of the most consumed animal-derived meats that is being served all over the world, the plant-based chicken filet is undoubtedly our most versatile food product. Whether you enjoy a refreshing Caesar Salad or simply put it on a burger bun, our chicken filet can serve as a main component in a variety of meals. The combination of texture, nutritiousness, and flavor makes our plant-based chicken filet an excellent choice for your next menu.

Boneless Ribs

The all-time classic is a popular dish for old and young, although rib fingers are your guilty pleasure. We have recreated the unique texture and juiciness of ribs by only using healthy and sustainable ingredients. Together with our marinade, you won’t miss the good old stickiness of rib fingers while enjoying the whole piece without cracking your teeth on a rib bone.

Pulled Chicken & Pulled Pork

Being known for its highly time-consuming preparation methods, pulled meat is surely not the most convenient product for food service. For that reason, we have developed pork as well as chicken-inspired plant-based versions that are as juicy and hearty as the original. Just add some pulled on a taco, burger or wrap and serve your customers the environmentally friendly meat alternative.

Under Development

To enrich our diverse product portfolio even more, our team is currently developing plant-based versions of Tuna Steak as well as Tenderloin which will be launched soon. Would you like to be notified once our new products are ready? Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an update again!

Who we are

Our office is based in the Dutch city of Amersfoort, where our team of engineers, food developers, as well as commercial managers, jointly work on providing the highest possible product and service quality to our customers. Since we are an ambitious and fast-growing company, we are always looking for experienced people that would like to join our team and therewith contribute to a sustainable future of the food industry.

Are you interested in joining us? Click here to see our current vacancies!

We are thrilled to share the following cover story about the development of our unique products as well as future prospects. Thank you very much to Slagersvak for featuring us in the latest edition of your magazine and for supporting us in this exciting journey!

Read more about the mission of our co-founders Birigt Dekkers and Ernst Breel here: https://gpmediavaktijdschriften.nl/images/magazines/flipbooks/slagersvak/2-2023/HTML/index.html

Rival Foods has recently installed its Supervisory Board, consisting of experienced leaders from a wide range of industries. The Supervisory Board will help Rival Foods in achieving its ambitions to create a positive impact on food systems world-wide and accelerate Rival Foods’ growth in the years to come.

Our Supervisory Board consists of:
• Nicole Atchison, CEO of Puris Holdings;
• Elske Mouw, CEO of EPOS Food Family;
• Martina Pace, COO at PeakBridge VC;
• Edouard Nuttin, Roquette Ventures.

Rival Foods is delighted with the current Supervisory Board and we look forward to exciting times ahead!

Every week SPROUT highlights a promising startup. This week Birgit Dekkers had the honor to talk about Rival Foods.  Read the full article here: https://mtsprout.nl/groei/startup-van-de-week/rival-foods-birgit-dekkers

Our co-founder Birgit Dekkers was interviewed by Het Financieel Dagblad about how it all started and about the ambitions of Rival Foods in the future. Read the full story here: https://fd.nl/tech-en-innovatie/1460949/zelfs-argentijnen-moeten-aan-rivals-hele-plantaardige-spiervleesproducten

On the 14th of September, Rival Foods announced its €6 million Serie A investment. This investment is led by PeakBridge, and joined by Roquette Ventures. PeakBridge and Roquette Ventures were chosen as strategic investors, given their deep domain expertise in Foodtech, and specifically in alternative protein technologies upscaling. Rival Foods will use this funding to develop category-winning products, expand its operational capabilities, scale-up its unique technologies and develop new formulations with next-gen protein sources. Moreover, Rival Foods expects to bring first products to market in the second half of 2023.

More than ever, consumers are demanding plant-based protein products that are as delicious, nutritious and affordable as animal-derived meat products. Nearly half of flexitarians (45%) think that there are not enough plant-based choices in supermarkets and restaurants[1]. One of the biggest white spaces in the alternative protein space is the knowledge and technology needed to produce thicker, 3D plant-based meat products that more accurately mimic animal products like chicken breast, pork chop, and salmon filet[2]. The market for whole-cut meat products is vast and currently underserved by alternative proteins. Moreover, consumers are seeking clean label products and that today’s alternatives have often have a long ingredient list is undesired.

Rival Foods jumps in this white space by offering the true whole-cut experiences in size, texture, juiciness and taste. Rival Foods develops new technologies, machines, processes and product formulations that serve to create game-changing plant-based food products which outcompete animal protein on quality, health, environmental impact and cost. Rival’s production process transforms a wide variety of plant-based ingredients into high-quality textured protein foods with an unparalleled fibrous texture, rich mouthfeel and juiciness, using very few clean-label ingredients. Rival Foods center of plate products are a nutritious, benign and sustainable alternative to whole-cut animal products.

About Rival Foods

Rival Foods is a technology spin-off company from the Wageningen University & Research founded in 2019 by Birgit Dekkers and Ernst Breel with the mission to enable uncompromised plant-based eating experiences around the world. Thereto, Rival Foods develops new technologies and processes to deliver the world’s best plant-based whole-cuts and future products. Rival Foods can transform a wide variety of plant-based ingredients such as soy, pea, wheat, fava, sunflower, rapeseed, etc. into products with great texture, rich mouthfeel and juiciness, making a future-proof proposition for the food industry and consumers.

Aside from technology, Rival Foods also works together with leading chefs, food professionals and industry players. In these collaborations, Rival Foods explores opportunities to create exciting eating experiences that fit with local food culture and make animal products obsolete.

To find out more, go to: https://rival-foods.com/

Rival Foods : info@rival-foods.com

About Peak Bridge

PeakBridge is a pioneering global fund manager in the Agri-FoodTech sector, focusing on scalable, and ESG-positive seed and growth companies with protectable technologies. PeakBridge invests in and works with entrepreneurs who are the true stewards of the food innovation and technology necessary to nourish people in the most sustainable and efficient way. PeakBridge invests in and supports the growth of startups with a focus on impacting key areas of ingredient innovations, alternative protein technologies, digitization, nutrition and health and novel farming systems. PeakBridge is a core member of EIT Food and a partner of Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity.

To find out more, go to: https://peakbridge.vc/

About Roquette Ventures

Founded in 2015, Roquette Ventures is an investment company supporting pioneer innovations for Food, Nutrition and Health markets. As a long term strategic partner, Roquette Ventures helps the companies they invest in to accelerate the development of their projects and boost growth. Roquette Ventures invests in inspiring, passionate and forward looking teams and in projects that develop the best natural-based innovations for Food, Nutrition and Health markets, anywhere in the value chain. Roquette Ventures is driven by the desire to invest in innovative companies with a strong growth potential throughout the world.

To find out more, go to : https://fr.roquette.com/roquette-ventures