Happy Plant Protein and Crespel & Deiters scale one-step dry extrusion technology for European TVP production

Happy Plant Protein has signed a commercial collaboration with German ingredient manufacturer Crespel & Deiters to scale its proprietary one-step dry extrusion technology, marking the first commercial-scale deployment of the Finnish company's process by an established European ingredient producer.

• Happy Plant Protein's one-step dry extrusion technology enters commercial-scale production at Crespel & Deiters' Helmond facility in the Netherlands
• Partnership focuses on producing textured vegetable proteins from European-grown legumes including pea and faba bean
• Collaboration supports growing demand for regionally sourced plant protein ingredients with simplified processing

Happy Plant Protein and Crespel & Deiters have announced a collaboration to commercialize a one-step dry extrusion process for manufacturing textured vegetable proteins (TVP) from locally grown European crops.

The technology is being implemented at Crespel & Deiters' Helmond site, operated by ECP B.V., where commercial production is now underway. The partnership represents the first time Happy Plant Protein's patented process has been deployed at commercial scale by a major European ingredient manufacturer.

For Crespel & Deiters, the collaboration forms part of a broader strategy to expand beyond its traditional focus on wheat-based ingredients by developing products from a wider range of plant raw materials. The companies are currently working with several legumes, including pea and faba bean.

The Helmond facility has specialized in food extrusion since 1998 and includes a technical center equipped with a laboratory extruder alongside commercial production lines. Happy Plant Protein's technology has now been integrated into the site, enabling the production of textured vegetable proteins while reducing processing complexity and retaining more of the raw material.

According to the companies, the process is designed to produce TVP with improved taste and aroma, helping reduce the bitterness and beany off-notes often associated with legume proteins. The ingredients can also be tailored for texture, hydration behavior and functionality across applications including meat alternatives, hybrid meat products, ready meals and snacks.

The partnership comes as demand continues to grow for European-grown protein crops as manufacturers look to reduce reliance on imported ingredients and highly processed protein ingredients.

"We are adopting Happy Plant Protein's dry extrusion because it offers a modern, responsible and cost-efficient way to manufacture ingredients. At our Helmond site, we are scaling the technology with our extrusion expertise to produce functional, neutral-tasting TVP from European-grown legumes – faster, more sustainably and closer to our customers' needs," said Philipp Deiters, CSO Food at Crespel & Deiters.

Jari Karlsson, CEO & Co-founder of Happy Plant Protein, said the agreement demonstrates increasing interest from established ingredient manufacturers. "This collaboration demonstrates that major ingredient manufacturers are looking for new ways to bring plant proteins to market more efficiently. For us, it validates both the technology and the growing demand for plant-based ingredient solutions in Europe," he said.

Happy Plant Protein's technology avoids the use of protein isolates, chemicals and water-intensive processing while converting locally grown crops into textured vegetable proteins. The company says the process preserves valuable components of the raw materials while simplifying production into a single extrusion step.

Commercial production at the Helmond facility will supply European food manufacturers seeking regionally sourced protein ingredients for a range of food applications.

The technology has received recognition at several food technology events, including being named a finalist in the Most Innovative FoodTech Solution category at Food Ingredients Europe in Paris in December 2025, and as a finalist at the Proteinnovation Summit in Austria in 2026.

The collaboration with Crespel & Deiters marks the next stage in bringing the technology into commercial food ingredient production as both companies target growing demand for plant-based proteins produced from European-grown crops.