Those Vegan Cowboys

What Those Vegan Cowboys does

Those Vegan Cowboys is a Belgian precision fermentation company founded in 2020 (rebranded from a 2008 biotech lab near Ghent University) that produces animal-free casein proteins for the food industry. Co-founded by Jaap Korteweg and Niko Koffeman — the team behind The Vegetarian Butcher (acquired by Unilever) — the company operates from Zwijnaarde, Belgium, with 11-50 employees and has raised €12.25 million in total funding as of April 2026. Its core technology introduces synthetic cow DNA genes into microbial hosts (yeast or fungal strains) that produce casein proteins molecularly identical to dairy casein, using grass-derived sugars as feedstock. The proprietary process includes casein micelle formation technology that replicates conventional cheese-making functionality, enabling production of mozzarella, camembert, feta, gouda, and cheddar with reportedly superior stretch and melt properties compared to dairy casein.

The company sells animal-free casein as a B2B ingredient to food manufacturers, with approximately 10 industrial partners across cheese, chocolate, sports nutrition, pizza, and adhesives verticals currently in testing or upscaling phases. Named strategic partners include Hochland Group (German cheese producer with brands including Almette, Grünländer, Patros, and Simply V) and Westland Kaas (Dutch cheese producer via the WildWestLand joint venture). A joint R&D team of 60+ scientists with German precision fermentation company Formo is described as the largest and most powerful precision fermentation team worldwide. The company is preparing for US market entry (with self-affirmed GRAS status secured), followed by Singapore, the UK, and Europe, and is planning a €100 million dedicated manufacturing facility for 2028 construction start. Future revenue streams include licensing of proprietary casein production and cheese-making patents, and a planned direct-to-consumer branded product line with first tastings scheduled in the Netherlands in 2026. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the company is targeting commercially attractive pricing within approximately six years and eventual price parity with conventional casein.

Name

Those Vegan Cowboys

Legal name

NewMilkBuzz B.V.

Website

https://thosevegancowboys.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Those Vegan Cowboys is a Belgian precision fermentation company that produces animal-free casein proteins for B2B food manufacturers, including cheesemakers, chocolate producers, sports nutrition brands, and pizza companies. Founded in 2020 by the former Vegetarian Butcher team, it targets the $2.7B casein market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Dairy Protein Ingredients

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Plant-Based Dairy-Alternative Ingredients & Bases Manufacturing (Emulsions, Fat Systems, Protein/Starch Bases for B2B) (AFAHAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fermentation-Derived Proteins (Precision Fermentation, Biomass Fermentation) (AFAJAHAH), Precision-Fermentation Dairy Analogues Processing (Animal-Free Whey/Casein Products) (AFAHAJAJ)

Keywords

• Precision fermentation proteins
• Animal-free casein production
• Alternative dairy ingredients
• Microbial fermentation dairy
• Casein protein manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Zwijnaarde

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. B2B Casein Ingredient Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling animal-free casein proteins to food manufacturers including cheesemakers, chocolate producers, sports nutrition brands, and other food innovators. Partners include approximately 10 companies across cheese, chocolate, sports nutrition, pizza, and adhesives sectors.
2. Licensing of Casein Technology: Technology licensing model for proprietary casein production and cheese-making processes. Company holds substantial and growing portfolio of patents covering both production methods and cheese conversion.
3. Own Branded Consumer Products: Planned future revenue from launching company's own high-end consumer products. First tastings in Netherlands planned for 2026. Long-term ambition to bring products to market at scale.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Those Vegan Cowboys produces animal-free casein proteins through precision fermentation, using microbial platforms (yeast and fungal strains) fed grass-derived sugars to generate dairy-identical casein. The company primarily sells this casein as a B2B ingredient to cheesemakers, chocolate manufacturers, sports nutrition brands, pizza companies, and other food producers, enabling animal-free cheese, chocolate, and protein products with 90% lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional dairy.

Product overview

Those Vegan Cowboys operates as a B2B ingredients company producing animal-free dairy proteins through precision fermentation. The core product is Margaret's Casein, a precision-fermented casein protein identical in molecular structure and functional properties to dairy casein. This foundational ingredient is offered to food producers across multiple applications: casein for cheese (mozzarella, camembert, feta, gouda, cheddar), casein for chocolate, casein for sports nutrition, and casein for desserts/foams. The company also developed a proof-of-concept sub-brand product called Margaret's Finest. Their technology enables 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional dairy production while maintaining equivalent or superior functional performance. The company supplies to industrial partners and is scaling toward commercial market entry, with partnerships including Hochland Group, Formo, and traditional dairy companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Margaret's Casein (Animal-Free Casein) Precision-fermented casein protein sold to B2B customers as a foundational ingredient. Functions identically to dairy casein in cheese-making (stretch, melt, texture), chocolate production, sports nutrition slow-release protein, and dessert foams. Produces 90% less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional dairy casein.
• Margaret's Finest First proof-of-concept animal-free cheese product produced by Those Vegan Cowboys, a small silver dollar-sized cheese nugget demonstrating that precision-fermented casein can be made into real cheese.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional dairy production
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Hochland GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Partnership with German cheese producer with nearly 100 years of experience making cheese. Hochland produces brands including Almette, Grünländer, Patros, and Simply V. Collaboration for developing hard and semi-hard cheeses using Margaret's animal-free casein. Hochland's century of cheese expertise and market coverage provides pathway to getting casein products into supermarkets.
• Formo Bio GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Strategic collaboration with German precision fermentation company Formo, creating joint team of 60+ world-class scientists. Both companies share mission of cow-free cheese production. Combined R&D capabilities described as biggest, most powerful team in precision fermentation worldwide, enabling large-scale production and faster path to price parity with animal cheese.
• Food Fermentation Europe ConsortiumsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023Collaboration with other European precision fermentation companies to spur on novel food legislation. Joint advocacy effort for regulatory framework changes that can take several years. Official kickoff took place in 2023.
• Westland KaascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Dutch cheese producer and partnership creating WildWestLand joint venture for plant-based cheeses. Westland dairy dynasty spans nearly a century. Partnership enables production of plant-based cheeses using combined expertise. Successfully launched pop-up 'Fromancerie' store and multiple vegan cheese products in Netherlands and Belgium.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Perfect Day: US-based precision fermentation company producing animal-free whey protein for dairy alternatives. Direct competitor in precision fermentation dairy proteins, though TVC differentiates on casein vs whey focus. Same B2B ingredient sales model targeting food manufacturers.
• New Culture: US precision fermentation company producing animal-free casein protein specifically for cheesemaking. Most direct competitor to Those Vegan Cowboys in the precision-fermented casein for cheese category, serving the same pizza and cheese-maker customers.
• Remilk: Israeli precision fermentation company producing animal-free milk proteins (β-lactoglobulin). Direct competitor in microbial fermentation for dairy proteins; targets similar B2B food manufacturer customers with similar regulatory pathway (GRAS/novel food).
• Formo Bio: German precision fermentation company producing animal-free casein and dairy proteins. Direct competitor and joint R&D partner with Those Vegan Cowboys via the 60+ scientist combined team; serves the same B2B food manufacturer customers.
• Imagindairy: Israeli precision fermentation company producing animal-free casein and whey proteins using a similar microbial platform. Direct competitor targeting the cheese and dairy alternative markets with comparable B2B ingredients business model.

Broad incumbents

• NotCo (The Not Company): Chilean/US plant-based food company using AI to develop dairy and meat alternatives including plant-based cheese and milk. Broader incumbent in alternative dairy space but uses different technology (plant-based, not precision fermentation).

Emerging players

• The EVERY Company (formerly Clara Foods): US precision fermentation company producing animal-free proteins (egg, dairy). Comparable fermentation technology platform and B2B food ingredient business model, though focused on egg proteins primarily.
• Climax Foods: US-based startup using precision fermentation and AI to develop animal-free cheese proteins. Comparable technology approach (microbial production of cheese proteins) with similar B2B ingredient supplier model, though earlier stage.
• Miyoko's Creamery: US plant-based cheese and dairy brand using fermentation and traditional plant-based approaches. Operates in the same animal-free cheese category but uses different technology (plant-based fermentation vs precision fermentation of casein).
• Mozza (formerly Nobell Foods): US-based company developing animal-free dairy cheese proteins using precision fermentation. Direct focus on casein for cheese-making aligns with TVC's core market, though they exited the plant-based cheese market and pivoted.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thosevegancowboys
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/those-vegan-cowboys-grassroots-bandits
• Instagraminstagram.com/thosevegancowboys

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Those Vegan Cowboys