“Avebe is the perfect partner for developing the plant-based protein market in pet food”

September 26 2024 - Blog

The summer of 2024 was a fruitful one for IQI Trusted Petfood Ingredients from a cooperative point of view: the company signed an exclusive partnership agreement with Royal Avebe to offer a premium potato protein solution to the pet food market. What were the main reasons for IQI and Avebe to combining forces, according to IQI’s sales manager Yvette Gerritsen and Avebe’s business manager Harold Tiekstra? And how does Avebe’s new ingredient, ProtaSTAR® fuel their joint ambition to further develop the plant-based protein market in pet food? 

“This partnership is truly a perfect match for us”, says Gerritsen when asked about the overall added value of the partnership for IQI. “Avebe is a strong and innovative Dutch company with renowned expertise in the development of potato-based ingredients, a demonstrated commitment to sustainability, and more  than a century of experience in the food industry. Joining forces with them allows us to combine their technical expertise on potato proteins with our focus on the pet food market. It’s a great example of how we like doing business.” 

Using IQI’s extensive network

Tiekstra adds that, of the different market segments in which Avebe is active, pet food is a very promising one from a commercial perspective. “Given the ever-growing demand for alternative plant-based protein sources in the pet food market, we believe the industry is ready to embrace quality potato ingredients now more than ever”, he says. “Scientific research shows that the potato indeed serves as a very good alternative protein source, as a recent ADM report points out. Working together with IQI enables us to offer our premium products to numerous European pet food brands and manufacturers through IQI’s extensive network.” 

Healthy farming practices
Gerritsen mentions Avebe’s sustainable solutions and healthy farming practices as yet further aspects of the company’s natural fit with IQI. “Just like us, Avebe focuses on SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth) and SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production). It triggered us right away that the company develops its own potato varieties for higher yields and disease resistance, and that it sources only local potatoes before processing them in its own factories – giving the company full control over the supply chain. This results in a trusted, high-quality plant-based protein resource with a much lower carbon footprint than animal protein sources.” 

ProtaSTAR®: premium potato protein

To get the most out of the potato as a naturally rich source of protein, Avebe developed a patented process with an additional step for purification and refining. Tiekstra: “The resulting product, ProtaSTAR®, outperforms most other concentrated plant protein sources, such as soybean meal, pea, and corn, in terms of digestibility. Its relatively high protein content of 80% and high efficiency ratio (PER), combined with a complete amino acid profile, create a unique plant-based protein source. Research shows that the digestibility and protein quality of ProtaSTAR® even match traditional animal-based ingredients, such as beef, pork, chicken, and salmon.” 

Good palatability

For Gerritsen, ProtaSTAR®’s good palatability is another key feature for the ingredient to succeed in the pet food market. “The product has a significantly lower content of total glycoalkaloids (TGA’s) as compared to regular potato protein – the typical difference being as much as a factor 10”, she explains. “As TGA’s are typically bitter due to their high solanine content, their reduced presence in ProtaSTAR® gives the product a neutral taste and good palatability – an aspect especially welcome in cat food. For applications aimed at dogs, which are known to become ill from elevated TGA intake, ProtaSTAR®’s low TGA content makes it safe to use in higher doses. Our product leaflet on ProtaSTAR® offers further technical explanation.” 

Positive expectations

Asked about future plans and wishes concerning their partnership, Tiekstra admits that Avebe has high expectations. “The expertise of IQI’s sales team combined with the company’s strong name and network in the pet food market should help us expand our pet food business – first and foremost with ProtaSTAR®. Given IQI’s compact team, I expect communication to be fast and easy.” Gerritsen shares Tiekstra’s optimism and eagerness for results. “Next to ProtaSTAR®’s key features, the potato’s overall image as a traditional farming product will certainly go down well in the market. Me and my colleagues at IQI can’t wait to promote this solution amongst our clients.” 

Get in touch

Are you curious about how ProtaSTAR® or IQI’s other plant-based protein solutions can serve you as a pet food brand or manufacturer? Get in touch with Yvette Gerritsen or with IQI’s innovation manager Geert van der Velden to discuss the possibilities.