Dutch Casein Developer Fooditive Named Sole Non-US Finalist in New York AgTech Contest

Rotterdam-based biotechnology company Fooditive has been named as a finalist in the 2026 Grow-NY competition, a prestigious food and agriculture accelerator in New York State. Selected from 334 applicants across 49 countries, Fooditive is the only finalist based outside of North America. The competition, which awards $3 million to seven companies annually, provides mentorship and business development opportunities over a period of ten weeks before finalists pitch their ideas at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit in November.

Fooditive specializes in developing precision fermentation and bioconversion technology to produce animal-free casein, a milk protein used in cheese, and a zero-calorie sweetener called 5-KDF. Operating on a licensing model, the company partners with established food and beverage manufacturers to scale its technology without the capital costs of building dedicated facilities. The company sees its entry into the competition as a way to establish manufacturing partnerships in Upstate New York, providing proximity to dairy processors and access to a significant portion of the state's farms.

Founder and CEO Moayad Abushokhedim emphasized that Fooditive's main objective in entering the competition is to form manufacturing partnerships rather than winning the prize money. By leveraging existing infrastructure in the state, the company aims to bring its innovative technologies to the US market and address the need for scalable solutions in the food-tech industry. Abushokhedim highlighted the importance of scale without long wait times, positioning Fooditive as a valuable player in the evolving landscape of sustainable food production.