Proeon Foods, a next-generation food ingredients company with deep R&D roots in India, has been awarded a grant of approximately €1 million as a key partner in Project EGGcellent, an ambitious European innovation initiative focused on creating a sustainable, plant- and precision fermentation-based alternative to chicken eggs for use in industrial bakery applications.
The funding was formally presented on April 11, 2025, at Planet B.io in Delft by Meindert Stolk, Regional Minister for Economy and Innovation of the Province of South Holland. The grant comes from the prestigious “Kansen voor West III” program, supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Proeon at the Forefront of the Protein Transition
As global egg prices rise and supply chains grow increasingly fragile due to geopolitical, environmental, and ethical concerns, the need for functional, scalable egg alternatives has never been more pressing. Project EGGcellent is a direct response to this demand, leveraging the collective expertise of Proeon, Vivici, Applikon (part of Getinge Group), and Planet B.io.
For this initiative, Proeon will lead the screening, characterization, and biochemical enhancement of novel plant proteins, drawing on its diverse portfolio of high-performance, functional ingredients. The company will also formulate synergistic hybrid systems combining plant proteins with precision fermentation-derived β-lactoglobulin (BLG) from Vivici. These ingredients will be tested and optimized for industrial bakery applications.
“This milestone underscores Proeon’s global leadership in developing next-generation, sustainable protein solutions. We’re proud to represent Indian biotech innovation on a global platform, working alongside some of the most forward-thinking European institutions to solve real-world food system challenges,” said Ashish Korde, Co-founder, Proeon Foods.
“The EGGcellent project represents everything we stand for— deep tech, purpose-driven innovation, and a collaborative model that scales impact globally. At Proeon, we’re building the protein systems of the future, and this initiative allows us to apply our science in a way that truly matters—replacing eggs without compromise,” added Kevin Parekh, Co-founder, Proeon Foods.
Powering Europe’s Sustainable Innovation Ecosystem
Project EGGcellent is deeply rooted in two critical focus areas of the Dutch National Technology Strategy:
1. Process technology and intensification
2. Biomolecular and cellular technologies
The initiative also aligns with the South Holland Growth Agenda, which fosters innovation and resilience in regional ecosystems. The advanced infrastructure installed as part of the project at Planet B.io, including bioreactor systems from Getinge, will also be made partially accessible to other small biotech companies— further strengthening the open innovation landscape in the Netherlands.
Collaboration that Drives Impact
The project was launched during a celebratory event at Planet B.io, where Minister Meindert Stolk commented: “This is a great example of how collaboration between innovative SMEs, the manufacturing industry, and the Planet B.io ecosystem leads to tangible solutions for global challenges. With project EGGcellent, we are not only building a more sustainable food chain but also laying the foundation for the economy of the future.”
A Global Vision, Rooted in Indian Innovation
Headquartered in Delft, the Netherlands, with a robust R&D presence in Pune, India, Proeon Foods is a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer. The company develops novel, sustainable protein ingredients that deliver superior functionality and nutrition across multiple food applications, including meat alternatives, dairy-free products, and egg replacements. This announcement marks a significant step in Proeon’s mission to lead the global protein transition, leveraging cross-border collaboration to deliver breakthrough, climate-resilient food solutions.