Smart choices, higher value

Duynie processes a wide range of co-products and determines the best destination for each product stream. Some co-products are directed to feed or biogas, while others have the potential to return to technical markets, or the food and pet food chains. Tom says: “That’s where our strength lies—adding value wherever possible, through smart processes and strategic investments.”

What does this deliver in concrete terms? A higher margin per ton compared to traditional applications. “We add costs, yes—but we add even more value. That creates room for growth, innovation, and partnership.”

BSG splitting: innovation with social impact

An example that brings everything together is the BSG splitting technology. This process separates brewers’ spent grain into a fibre and a protein fraction. We are collaborating with Heineken on this initiative. The fibers are currently used for feed or as an energy source, and in the future, they may be applied in other high-value markets. The proteins are primarily directed toward food and pet food applications. “This is how we bring innovation from pilot to practice, with direct impact on sustainability and profitability.”

The significance goes beyond technology. “These applications help establish co-products as valuable raw materials in their own right. That helps us, our co-product partners, and our customers to lead the way in the protein transition.”

Market acceptance: more than just sustainability

While sustainability is an important entry point, quality remains the decisive factor. “Our customers want a stable product that has a long shelf life or delivers precisely the right nutritional value. Sustainability helps make the initial connection, but quality is what sustains the relationship.”

That’s why Duynie works with segment-specific propositions. “In pet food, it’s all about nutritional value. In food, properties like blendability, texture, taste, and shelf life also play a key role. And in technical markets, the focus is on price-performance ratio. Each segment requires a tailored approach—from product development to positioning.”

Collaborating for growth

Duynie’s Unlock 30 growth ambition is ambitious: it’s about unlocking more value from existing co-products while expanding into new markets. To achieve that, we need smart technology and a scalable organisation.”

That scalability requires collaboration at every level. “Our factories are becoming increasingly intelligent, but it’s our people who make the real difference. From R&D to operations, projects like the water treatment facility in Nijmegen, the expansion in Cuijk, and a complex starch modification in Veurne (Belgium) have all been made possible thanks to our strong multidisciplinary teams. We see this as a valuable development—one we will continue to pursue with focus over the next five years.”

From pioneering to professionalising

“Over the past few years, we’ve built a solid foundation—moving from separate entities to one unified organisation with a clear strategy. Now it’s time to accelerate. We’re doing that with better systems, stronger collaboration, and sharper decision-making.”

At the same time, entrepreneurship remains a core value. “It’s precisely the combination of professionalism and entrepreneurial spirit that creates real strength: it allows us to scale faster while maintaining our agility.”

Looking ahead to 2030

For Tom, the future lies in further integration across the value chain. “At Duynie, we aim to upgrade co-products as far as possible into upcycled ingredients that are just as mainstream as any other used in the food industry. Achieving that requires not only technology, but also trust, transparency, and a shared ambition.”

He concludes: “Duynie proves that you can be both sustainable and profitable—not in spite of our raw materials, but because of them.”