Dutch association New Protein World establishes a formal bridge for European and Chinese enterprises to collaborate within the circular economy. With insects serving as the foundational element, Chinese and Dutch companies jointly build a sustainable industrial ecosystem.
The Memorandum of Understanding between New Protein World and the China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-products (CFNA) on 16 April 2026 truly is a commendable step forward in accelerating innovation in practice.
During the ceremony Karel van Bommel, Agricultural Attache at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands highlighted: “The Netherlands Agriculture Network in China is proud to facilitate this meaningful initiative. We are pleased to see the strong developments both in China and the Netherlands in this new sustainable source of protein. We also appreciate the value chain approach, including the entire chain in the collaboration: from feed and petfood to fertilizer and food.”
New proteins is a novel industry for both China and the Netherlands, providing ample opportunities to learn from each other. For example in December 2025, the Neo Protein Professional Committee of the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST) and ProVeg China published a report by 48 leading scholars. The report identifies the most urgent scientific and technological barriers slowing the development and scale-up of next-generation proteins. The report also offers a strategic roadmap for aligning national R&D priorities, strengthening industry–academia collaboration, and translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world applications.
The Memorandum signed by New Protein World and CFNA connects China’s innovation efforts with Dutch expertise, facilitating open knowledge exchange and strengthening collaboration towards a circular future.
Contact pek-lvvn@minbuza.nl for more information.