Beneo invests significantly in textured wheat protein and other plant proteins with new facility

Image courtesy of Beneo

Beneo (Parsippany, NJ) has opened a new production plant for vegetal protein in Wanze, Belgium, an investment of €4.3 million ($5.5 million). The new plant is an effort to meet the growing demand for plant-based proteins worldwide. “We are seeing a big shift in consumer diets as an increasing number of consumers actively try to reduce their meat intake and seek out alternatives,” explained Christoph Boettger, Executive Board Member at Beneo, in a press release. “Wheat protein was the most-used plant-based protein in new meat substitute launches in 2018, and we see great potential for this market in 2019 and beyond.”

The new plant is part of the existing BioWanze factory, a biorefinery that produces food, feed, and ethanol. BioWanze, a subsidiary of the leading European manufacturer of sustainable ethanol, CropEnergies, will operate the facility. “We’re pleased to be working with our sister company, CropEnergies, and its team at BioWanze as a trusted partner in this exciting new development for our business,” said Boettger. “Through this significant investment and new production facilty, Beneo can take its first steps in exploring the market for textured plant-based proteins to allow its customers to capitalize on this rising trend.”