28 July 2021
With its head office in Ede, NIZO is a proud Dutch driver of research and innovation in the food chain. Originated in 1948 from the dairy industry, private and independent since 2009 and she still does what it does best: connecting the dots and relevant parties. Recently, NIZO joined Brave New Food to reach innovative startups. “We can offer them relevant knowledge, but also the largest food-grade pilot plant in Europe for optimization and validation of processes,” according to Gisella Frijlink, CEO of NIZO since March this year.
For better food and health, that's what NIZO employees get out of bed for every day. “We know better food is essential for better health. That’s why we are convinced that the only road to success is to work closely with our customers - innovative food, ingredient and health companies,” says Gisella. “Our knowledge and expertise in bacteria, proteins and processing is the starting point of our contribution to innovation.”
More than 70 years of experience
NIZO supports startups and connects partners in the field of protein transition, food safety, chain control, smart processing and general health benefits. “In today's fast-moving food market, there is huge demand for new ingredients and new food products. And that, in turn, means you need new, adapted or optimized food production processes. Naturally, the end result must taste, look, feel and smell right – but cost and time-to-market are also critical to success. That's where NIZO comes in. With over 70 years' experience in the science and production of food: we know food and we know production processes.”
Largest food-grade pilot plant in Europe
NIZO also has the largest, food-grade pilot plant in Europe that is open to external companies. “Together, that means we can help startups optimize existing processes or develop brand new ones quickly and efficiently – and the effect of every process change can be taste tested directly from the line,” Gisella says proudly.
Successful scaling
According to Gisella, the biggest challenge for innovation lies in the scaling up phase. “There are enough subsidies to allow startups to experiment, but once they want to scale up their production, they often lack the resources. Investors only want to step in once production on a larger scale has been proven and the government thinks that the scaling up phase will happen almost automatically. However, success on a small scale does not mean that it will work on a large scale. How do you go from successful batch production to continuous production, without sacrificing taste, quality and sustainability? That is an enormous challenge that requires a lot of perseverance, research and money. Startups that address these questions well are the most successful.”
Don’t let them leave
It is precisely in this area that the Netherlands sometimes lets itself be eaten, according to Gisella. “The Netherlands is bursting with knowledge, creativity and innovativeness. And although the Dutch market acceptance is very high, successful startups are increasingly moving abroad because there are few resources available from investors and government to scale up. In Israel and France, for example, much more government funding is provided. We must not let these good ideas and knowledge go to waste or die out! A voucher model, where the startup itself finances 50% and the government finances the other half, would be a good start.”
Connecting partners
To contribute to this process, NIZO connects as many partners as possible. “We are a well-known name in the market and have a large international network. We invest a lot to keep abreast of all developments and try to accelerate processes and make the ecosystem more efficient by connecting people, companies and organizations at the right time. For example, we work together with WUR for in-depth knowledge and a large number of startups affiliated with Oost NL are using our knowledge for their product development. Funders find it important that the companies in which they invest are provided with useful research results.”
Working together for results
How do you finance, produce and legalize products in a logical way? Those are questions NIZO can answer. “I therefore cordially invite startups, but also financiers and organizations with a large network to get acquainted. Engagement of our customers naturally results in value creation. But we are only satisfied when our innovations actually reach consumers, because only then consumers enjoy better food and health.”