Those Vegan Cowboys Brings Precision-Fermented Casein to Sports Nutrition With €1.29M Dutch Grant

Precision fermentation company Those Vegan Cowboys, along with a consortium of partners, has been awarded a €1.29 million grant to develop sports nutrition prototypes using their animal-free casein. The project, funded through the EU regional programme OPZuid, aims to explore the potential of casein in sports nutrition beyond its traditional use in cheese production. With a total project budget of approximately €2.58 million, the work will continue until 2028.

The consortium includes dairy protein specialist Interfood, research institute HAS green academy, and sports nutrition brand XXL Nutrition. The project, titled Pioneer, Pilot, Powerhouse – Brabant Breaking New Ground in Precision Fermentation, will focus on scaling up casein production, developing sports nutrition prototypes, and understanding consumer preferences in order to introduce new plant-based protein products to the market. CEO Hille van der Kaa expressed excitement about the project's potential to provide nutritious, tasty, and affordable protein options in a world where food security is increasingly important.