Culinary + Technical Support
CASE STUDY – INGREDIENT USE
EXPERTISE & PASSION
THE CHALLENGE
The Protein Brewery planned to exhibit at Plant Based World Expo where it wanted to demonstrate the benefits of its unique Fermotein® ingredient to attendees. The company needed application development for samples, as well as culinary support at the trade show.
ACTION TAKEN
OUR SOLUTION
The Backstory
The Protein Brewery, founded in 2020 as a spin-off from BioscienZ, is a developer of new technologies based on microbial fermentation. The relatively young company was founded by a highly experienced molecular scientist and has a CEO experienced both in the international food sector and plant-based industry.
The fermentation experts of The Protein Brewery develop and brew innovative, sustainable, plant-based food ingredients to enable and accelerate the transition to alternative food sources across the globe and contribute to a more sustainable future. Their hero product Fermotein®, is a versatile food ingredient with an excellent nutritional and sustainable profile. It is a vegan-sourced, complete protein made via a zero-waste brewing process that turns the sugars from starch-rich crops into protein through fermentation.
With its corporate headquarters in the Netherlands and sales representation in the U.S., the company needed application formulas optimized for the U.S. market. For this they reached out to CBCI for culinary assistance.
Our Approach:
CBCI provided guidance on what would be needed for the trade show and was given two product formulas using Fermotein® (one for pancakes and one for cookies) to determine production and supplies needed. While the culinary team was testing these formulas, they had to stop and start over. This was because the formulas they were given needed to be vegan, and they were not. At this point, CBCI technical experts were enlisted to reformulate the applications without using eggs. During the development process, each formula was optimized for flavor and texture, while maintaining the desired nutritional profile. The pancakes, which gave a nod to the company’s Dutch heritage, ended up with a light and fluffy texture – an improvement from the initial formula that produced “flat” pancakes. And the cookies, which originally had a European-inspired profile, were reimagined with a lemon poppyseed flavor to appeal to an American audience. After the formula revisions, the culinary team stepped back in to do the testing and production of the samples, while at the same time identifying and shipping all the supplies and equipment necessary for sampling at the trade show booth. At the convention center, our chef helped set up the booth and then prepared and served samples throughout the run of the show. Our chef also acted as a corporate representative for The Protein Brewery, seamlessly fielding product questions and informing attendees about the benefits of Fermotein®.
You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces.
JULIA CHILD
FEEDBACK DRIVEN
RESULTS DELIVERED
Outcome:
Since The Protein Brewery didn’t have any technical or culinary support in the U.S., CBCI filled that role. The reformulated samples were a hit at the show. Attendees enjoyed the made-to-order, bite-sized pancakes, and the cookies got rave reviews. In fact, one vegan attendee said it was the best vegan cookie they had ever eaten.
Business Impact:
The Protein Brewery wants to improve food. To accomplish this, they aim to deliver on multiple future-proof criteria without compromising taste or performance. With the support of CBCI, they were able to demonstrate this promise at the Plant Based Expo. The mini pancakes and lemon poppyseed cookies created a buzz on the tradeshow floor and attracted a large crowd to The Protein Brewery booth, so attendees could get acquainted with the company and product.
The Plant Based Expo and the samples made by CBCI were a perfect combination to create initial awareness in the U.S. market. The company still uses the CBCI recipes on a regular basis to demonstrate the great behavior of Fermotein® and have always received positive feedback.
Not only were the product samples well received at the trade show, the company received two awards – Best Plant Based Startup, and the 2022 Rockstar Exhibitor Award for inviting the most external people to the expo.
WE BRING FLAVOR TO LIFE®