Royal Cosun shows how you can boost product sustainability and improve nutrition through innovative ingredients
Food production accounts for a significant share of global greenhouse gas emissions, often exceeding 50% in some countries.1 In response, innovative companies are rethinking ingredients and manufacturing methods to ease the environmental burden while creating delicious, sustainable plant-based and blended products.
Royal Cosun, a Dutch agricultural cooperative, is leading the way by transforming plant-based sources and side streams into high-value ingredients. Through its subsidiaries – Duynie, Aviko Rixona, Sensus, Cosun Beet Company, and Cosun Protein – Cosun is driving the development of next-generation plant-based and blended foods. These ingredient innovations deliver on sustainability, nutrition, and commercial viability, demonstrating that circular economy models can unlock wins for both businesses and the planet.
This case study explores actionable insights for food industry stakeholders by spotlighting Royal Cosun as a leader in ingredient innovation. The work of their subsidiaries offers practical lessons for brands, product developers, and procurement teams aiming to boost sustainability, improve nutrition, and reduce Scope 3 emissions.
The companies behind the innovation
Duynie: sustainable upcycling for scope 3 targets
Duynie transforms side streams from major food and beverage manufacturers into valuable food ingredients such as proteins, starches, and dried vegetables. These ingredients can partially replace conventional beef, pork, and soya in bakery products, processed meats, and plant-based alternatives – helping companies like Albert Heijn to cut carbon emissions in certain products by up to 96%.
In conversation with Wouter Bergevoet, Upcycled Proteins and Ingredients, Duynie:
What are some of the most innovative ways food manufacturers are using Duynie’s ingredients in plant-based and blended products?
We have the most sustainable solution for the meat industry, where our ingredients can effectively reduce meat content by up to 25%. Our ingredients are the perfect match for products like burgers, meatballs, sausages and snacks. They result in no loss in texture and taste, have a great nutritional profile, and reduce costs for producers, all while being the most sustainable protein possible.
In meat alternatives, our ingredients replace other plant-based proteins like soya or pea. Our protein fits well in High Moisture Extrusion (HME) and Low Moisture Extrusion (LME) products. And as a finishing touch, companies can use our dried vegetables range.
Beyond sustainability, what are some of the functional or nutritional benefits of your upcycled ingredients for food manufacturers?
Our protein has a unique nutritional composition, including protein, fibre, and healthy unsaturated fats. This ingredient can be incorporated into various products to reduce formulation costs and optimise nutritional profiles, thereby improving their Nutri-Scores. Additionally, they support claims for fibre and protein enrichment, enhance digestibility, and meet the growing demand for healthier, more nutritious, and sustainable options.
How do you see upcycling shaping the food industry in the next five to 10 years?
Our goal is to create a more sustainable value chain, and upcycled ingredients are crucial to achieving that goal. We strongly believe that upcycling is set to transform the food industry over the next five to 10 years.
Upcycling not only addresses environmental concerns but also offers innovative solutions to food waste, turning what was once considered waste into valuable resources. This shift is already gaining momentum, with increasing requests from retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers actively seeking sustainable food ingredients.
In the coming years, we anticipate that upcycled ingredients will become mainstream, driving significant changes in product development and consumer preferences. These ingredients will help companies reduce their environmental footprint, meet sustainability targets, and cater to the growing demand for eco-friendly products.
Moreover, upcycling will foster collaboration across the food industry, encouraging partnerships between producers, suppliers, and innovators to create a more resilient and sustainable food system. As consumers become more aware of the benefits of upcycled ingredients, we expect a surge in products that highlight their environmental and nutritional advantages, ultimately reshaping the market and setting new standards for sustainability.
Sensus: the power of chicory root fibre
Sensus is a globally recognised leader in chicory root fibre (also known as chicory inulin and oligofructose) with two brands under its belt, Frutafit® and Frutalose®. These prebiotic fibres, naturally derived from chicory root, support gut health, enhance Nutri-Score ratings, and can be used to create texture, improve mouthfeel, replace sugar and fat, and provide gelling and water-binding properties. Offering both nutritional and functional benefits, they are used across a range of applications – from plant-based dairy to blended meat and meat alternatives, and from plant-based gummies to ice cream. Positioned at the heart of the value chain, Sensus collaborates closely with local growers, partners, and customers worldwide to drive innovation and impact.
In conversation with Eszter Heijnen, Commercial Manager, Sensus:
How does Sensus’ chicory root fibre improve the nutrition in plant-based and blended food products? And how does it enhance sustainability?
Frutafit® chicory inulin and Frutalose® oligofructose are valuable tools for food manufacturers due to their dual benefits in sustainability and health enhancement. These ingredients are derived from chicory root, making them a natural, plant-based, and sustainable choice for food production.
Sensus’ chicory root fibre plays a crucial role in enhancing the nutritional profile of plant-based and hybrid food products. These dietary fibres are effective fat and sugar replacers, allowing food manufacturers to create healthier products with reduced caloric content while maintaining desirable taste and texture.
Chicory inulin promotes digestive health by increasing the fibre content in food and has a proven prebiotic effect, stimulating beneficial bacteria in the colon. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) recognises chicory inulin as the only plant-based prebiotic. As prebiotic fibres, Sensus’ ingredients may also provide benefits beyond gut health, including immune support, inflammation reduction, weight management, and mental health benefits.
Our fibre’s ability to provide an essential nutrient while supporting various aspects of health makes it an invaluable ingredient for food manufacturers aiming to improve nutrition.
Why do you believe ingredients like chicory root fibre are crucial for the future of food production?
Sensus’ product range is verified natural according to ISO standards, and therefore, it is definitely important for the future of clean-label plant-based food production. This prebiotic fibre offers multifunctional health benefits and is versatile in its applications. These qualities make it indispensable in meeting the evolving needs of consumers and advancing the food industry towards a more health-focused future.
Aviko Rixona: potatoes reimagined for texture and cost efficiency
A leader in dehydrated potato products, Aviko Rixona produces Potato Cheezz, a plant-based cheese alternative with a natural stretch, and Potato TexaPure, an ingredient that mimics the juiciness of meat. These innovations help brands create low-cost, low-footprint dairy and meat alternatives without compromising taste or texture.
In conversation with Carl Wessel, Business Development Manager, Aviko Rixona:
What are the key functional properties of Potato TexaPure that make it effective in blended meat products?
Potato TexaPure enhances the juiciness of blended meat products, helping to deliver a more flavourful and satisfying sensory experience. Its unique ability to mimic the mouthfeel of fat is a key functional property, contributing to a richer, more authentic meat-like texture and taste.
What sustainability advantages can potato-based ingredients offer compared to conventional dairy or meat-based ingredients?
It’s pretty clear that Potato TexaPure and Potato Cheezz offer powerful ways to reduce the carbon footprint of meat and cheese products. Both ingredients have a carbon footprint way below 1 kg CO₂-eq – among the lowest on the market for hybrid or plant-enriched products.
Just imagine the impact of adding even a small amount of these ingredients to meat products, which typically have a footprint of 7 to 20 kg CO₂-eq. We always say: ‘small steps with big impact’ – that’s how we can create better meat with less meat.
On the dairy side, cheese alternatives can make a big difference too. Traditional cheese products range from 6 to 13 kg CO₂-eq, depending on the type. Recently, we’ve seen several new blended products hit the market – like cheese croissants, cheese bread, cheese twists, or heated cheese snacks such as Dutch cheese soufflés, cheese croquettes, or appetisers.
Cosun Beet Company, Fidesse: unlocking the full potential of sugar beets
Fidesse, developed by Cosun Beet Company, is a climate-friendly ingredient made entirely from upcycled sugar beet pulp. This sugar beet fibre enhances texture, juiciness, and stability in plant-based and hybrid meat products, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional binders with an ultra-low carbon footprint of just 0.383 kg CO₂ per kg.
Neutral in colour and taste, Fidesse allows product developers full flexibility to apply their own seasoning and flavour profiles. Cosun Beet Company’s mission is to maximise the value of every part of the sugar beet, transforming it into high-impact ingredients for the food, energy, and bio-based industries.
In conversation with Desiree Potters, Fidesse:
Can you please tell us more about the unique properties of Fidesse?
Fidesse® can retain water and add texture at the same time, which sounds like a contradiction, but that is the uniqueness of Fidesse®. These properties are solid during the production of meat and fish alternatives, blended meat products and snacks. Once the end consumer bites into the product, the moisture is released, giving the juicy sensation that meat has.
When replacing meat, normally, texture and juiciness are (partly) lost, because meat gives these properties. Therefore, a lot of plant-based and blended meat products don’t perform on texture and mouthfeel. Fidesse, on the contrary, gives what is needed: texture and a juicy mouthfeel. Also, some alternative ingredients give an off-taste. As Fidesse is neutral in taste and colour, it is versatile in use and takes up the colour and taste of the recipe matrix.
What role do you see upcycled ingredients like Fidesse playing in the evolution of plant-based and blended/hybrid meats?
We think there are a lot of opportunities but also challenges within the protein transition in general. As meat consumption remains more or less the same, but people also want to be more flexitarian and contribute to the transition, a step-by-step approach can convince the majority. So from meat to blended and in the longer term to fully plant-based.
As taste is the main driver, good ingredients and products are key. Upcycled ingredients can help in the transition, as they lower the footprint dramatically compared to meat. Besides, they are often available in large quantities and can be affordable.
Cosun Protein, Tendra: high-performance plant-protein from Dutch fava beans
Cosun Protein’s protein brand, Tendra, develops fava bean protein isolates for dairy alternatives, plant-based meats, and sports nutrition. Sourced from Dutch growers, Tendra proteins are non-GMO, allergen-free, and highly soluble, making them a promising alternative to soya and pea proteins.
In conversation with Marcel van de Vaart, Cosun Protein:
How do Tendra’s proteins enhance the texture, taste, and nutritional value of plant-based and blended products?
The key uniqueness of Tendra lies in the neutral taste and the good emulsification properties. We therefore see a lot of use of our ingredient in dairy alternatives, where both are needed to generate a clean label and a smoothly textured product. The neutral taste, high solubility, and low viscosity at high concentrations make it an ingredient frequently used in sports and active nutrition.
Sustainability is a growing concern in the food industry. How does using European-grown fava beans contribute to lower carbon emissions and improved sustainability?
Locally sourced plant-based proteins are known for their low carbon emissions and good sustainability. In comparison to animal-derived proteins, large carbon reductions can be made. Furthermore, fava beans are a nitrogen-fixing crop, which means that they can capture atmospheric nitrogen and transfer it into the soil. This helps fertilise the soil for the next crop in the field, keeping the soil healthy.
Where do you see the biggest opportunities for fava protein in the future of food?
The demand for plant-based and sustainable food is rapidly increasing. However, taste and mouthfeel remain the top priorities for consumers. Tendra stands out because it can be used in any application where neutral taste, high solubility, and excellent emulsification properties are needed. This makes Tendra a standout ingredient for these types of applications.
Why Cosun’s strategy matters for the future of food
These innovations align with global sustainability and nutrition goals, supporting food brands in reducing Scope 3 emissions and optimising ingredient performance. According to the FAO, food systems are responsible for over one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the majority coming from animal agriculture and food waste. Cosun’s approach demonstrates how collaborative, farmer-driven innovation can accelerate the transition to healthier, more sustainable food systems.
By upcycling agricultural side streams and investing in functional, clean-label ingredients, Cosun is helping brands meet growing consumer demand, with 66% of global consumers saying they are willing to pay more for sustainable products.2 These ingredients enable the development of affordable, scalable, and delicious plant-based and blended products that meet modern expectations around health, sustainability, and transparency.
As the food industry faces mounting pressure to decarbonise, reformulate for health, and build more resilient supply chains, ingredient strategies like Royal Cosun’s offer a practical and scalable path forward – one that balances commercial viability with environmental responsibility. In the transition to a more sustainable food system, smart ingredient choices will be central to success – for brands, consumers, and the planet.
Actionable insights
ProVeg makes the following recommendations for food producers, manufacturers, and brands:
- Diversify your protein sources to reduce emissions and improve nutrition. Explore upcycled or underutilised plant proteins like fava as alternatives to conventional meat, soya, or pea. These proteins can help reduce carbon intensity, support allergen-free claims, and enable more resilient sourcing.
- Integrate side-stream ingredients to unlock sustainability gains. Upcycled vegetable and grain side streams, like Fidesse and Duynie’s, can lower your environmental impact, offer valuable functional benefits – such as protein, fibre, or moisture retention – and reduce formulation costs.
- Reformulate for improved Nutri-Scores and clean-label claims. Functional fibres derived from natural sources can serve as effective sugar and fat replacers while improving digestive health benefits. These ingredients help meet demand for healthier, more transparent labels.
- Develop blended products for mainstream appeal. Combining plant-based ingredients with smaller amounts of animal-based inputs can reduce environmental impact while appealing to flexitarians. Such formats are ideal for transitional consumers and food service innovation.
- Collaborate with suppliers driving circular and local innovation. Seek out partners that transform agricultural by-products into functional ingredients. These collaborations can support Scope 3 emissions reduction, local sourcing goals, and traceability.
- Use texture- and moisture-enhancing ingredients to meet consumer expectations. When replacing meat or dairy, ingredients that deliver on juiciness, mouthfeel, and stability can help bridge the sensory gap and improve repeat purchase rates.
- Position ingredient upgrades as part of your health and sustainability narrative. Today’s consumers are actively looking for products that align with their health and environmental values. Highlight how your ingredient choices reduce food waste, cut carbon emissions, or support gut health to drive differentiation and loyalty.
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Interviews conducted by ProVeg International.
Gemma Tadman
Business Communications Manager
