Aiming to produce high-quality textured vegetable proteins from legumes grown in Europe, Crespel & Deiters has partnered with Finnish foodtech company Happy Plant Protein to bring dry extrusion technology into industrial-scale production for the first time. The new process offers a more sustainable and efficient approach to plant-based ingredient production by combining protein separation and functionalization in a single step.
As global demand for plant-based proteins continues to grow rapidly, German ingredient manufacturer Crespel & Deiters and Finnish food technology startup Happy Plant Protein have entered into a strategic partnership that marks an important milestone for the industry. The companies have commissioned Happy Plant Protein's patented dry extrusion technology at industrial scale for the first time at Crespel & Deiters' production facility in Helmond, the Netherlands.
The new production system will manufacture high-quality textured vegetable proteins (TVP) from European-grown legumes such as fava beans and peas. Designed to provide food manufacturers with functional plant proteins sourced from regional crops, the project is expected to meet the increasing demand for protein ingredients in meat alternatives, hybrid products, ready meals and snack applications.
Processing wheat since 1858, Crespel & Deiters has recently focused on expanding its portfolio beyond wheat by incorporating a wider range of plant-based raw materials. The company sees the partnership as an important element of its strategic refinement approach, strengthening its capabilities to develop functional ingredients from diverse botanical sources.
One-step protein separation and texturization
Happy Plant Protein's patented dry extrusion technology was developed as an alternative to conventional air classification. The process separates flour into protein and starch fractions while simultaneously functionalizing them in a single production step. As a result, multiple processing stages traditionally required in protein production are combined into one streamlined operation.
The technology eliminates the need for protein isolates while reducing chemical processing and water consumption, preserving the valuable components of the raw material. In particular, the textured proteins produced from legumes such as fava beans feature a neutral flavour profile, avoiding the bitter and beany off-notes commonly associated with legume proteins. In addition, their texture, water-binding capacity and functional properties can be tailored to suit a wide range of food applications.
Helmond facility becomes the hub for industrial-scale production
Specializing in food extrusion since 1998, Crespel & Deiters' Helmond facility plays a central role in scaling up the new technology thanks to its modern production lines and pilot-scale extrusion laboratory. The company is currently conducting industrial-scale refinement of several legumes, including peas and fava beans.
Philipp Deiters
CSO
Crespel & Deiters Food
Philipp Deiters, CSO Food at Crespel & Deiters, said the dry extrusion technology developed by Happy Plant Protein enables the sustainable and cost-efficient production of functional food ingredients. By combining the company's extrusion expertise in Helmond with the new technology, Crespel & Deiters can produce neutral-tasting textured vegetable proteins from European-grown legumes. According to Deiters, these ingredients meet food manufacturers' processing requirements while also enhancing the nutritional value of finished products.
Jari Karlsson, CEO and co-founder of Happy Plant Protein, described the collaboration as the first commercial-scale implementation of the company's technology by an established European ingredient manufacturer. He noted that growing demand for plant-based ingredients confirms the importance of the technology, adding that the partnership will enable major food manufacturers to process high-quality plant proteins more efficiently and with greater ease.
Technology gains industry recognition
Even before reaching commercial production, Happy Plant Protein's dry extrusion technology had already attracted considerable attention across the food industry. It was named a finalist in the Most Innovative FoodTech Solution category at Food Ingredients Europe in Paris in 2025 and again reached the finals at the Proteinnovation Summit in Austria in 2026. With the technology now entering industrial-scale production, the achievement is regarded as a significant milestone for the plant-based protein industry.