Grassa secures investment to scale grass-based protein production for food and feed

Dutch agri-tech company Grassa has received an investment from Perspectieffonds Gelderland (PFG), a fund of the Province of Gelderland managed by Oost NL, along with support from existing shareholders. The funding will allow the company to install its first grass-pressing units and continue the development of protein derived from grass for human consumption.

Grassa, based in Wageningen, has developed a process that presses fresh grass to extract a nutrient-rich juice – referred to as grass sap – and a fibrous byproduct known as 'unlocked grass'. The company processes the sap into high-quality protein ingredients, which it currently markets as feed additives. The aim is to replace imported soy, a common protein source in both food and feed, with a domestic and more sustainable alternative.

“Grass is the largest protein crop in the Netherlands in terms of yield per hectare and total land area,” commented Rieks Smook, CEO of Grassa. “One-third of Dutch land is grassland, but we only use it in a limited way – as feed for cows. There's far more potential in it. We’ve developed a technology that allows us to tap into that potential while also making current dairy practices more sustainable.”

At present, EU regulations do not allow ingredients derived from grass to be used in food for human consumption without prior approval. Grassa has initiated the required novel food approval process, which it expects to complete by 2027. Until then, the extracted protein will continue to be sold as an ingredient for animal nutrition.

The byproduct of the pressing process – unlocked grass – has a reduced protein content and is easier for cows to digest. Using it as cattle feed helps maintain milk production levels while cutting nitrogen and phosphate emissions by up to 30%, according to the company.

The company’s solution aligns with broader environmental and agricultural goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting local protein sources. The replacement of imported soy with grass-based protein could contribute to lower carbon and nitrogen footprints in both food and feed supply chains.

Dairy farmer Gijs van Schriek, based in Voorst, is one of the pilot participants working with Grassa. He operates a farm together with his parents and sees clear advantages in the approach. “Right now, grassland is mainly useful for grazing livestock. Grassa creates an additional revenue stream from that same land,” he said. “That makes the model attractive because it offers a potential improvement to our business. One added benefit is that the method can process different grass varieties, which helps avoid monocultures. And through the process, nitrogen is converted into protein suitable for human consumption, reducing the need for soy imports.”

According to Smook, the next phase for the company will focus on expanding adoption and demonstrating practical benefits to farmers. “In the coming years, we want our technology to become the new norm in the sector. We can’t do that alone – we need investors. With support from PFG and our existing shareholders, we can now take the next step: funding the novel food process, conducting the necessary research, and installing the first pressing units. That enables us to show dairy farmers how they can reduce nitrogen emissions and improve profitability,” he said.

Sindy Vreugdenhil, Investment Manager Food at Oost NL, underscored the potential benefits of the investment. “With this investment in Grassa, we’re addressing three major issues at once: we offer a partial solution to the nitrogen problem, we accelerate the shift toward plant-based proteins, and we provide new perspectives for farmers,” she said. “PFG can play a key role where the market is hesitant to adopt new methods and business models. With Grassa, we’re taking a step closer to a sustainable and fair dairy sector.”

The investment is part of the wider mission of Perspectieffonds Gelderland, which was established to support key transitions in the region, including the sustainability of the agricultural sector. The initiative aligns with the goals of the province’s ‘Gaaf Gelderland’ spatial vision, focused on supporting rural vitality and sustainable food systems.