Ahrensburg, Germany-based Hydrosol, a stabilizing and texturing systems company within the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe, announced on September 28 that its plant-based products enterprise has become an autonomous entity doing business as Planteneers GmbH.
“We intend to continue to grow with both companies,” said Torsten Wywiol, chief executive officer of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe (see at left in photo above with Dr. Matthias Moser, managing director of Hydrosol). “With that in mind, it will be important to focus on each of their strengths, and further build on them for both brands with the appropriate strategies in each case. That’s the reason we separated the plant-based field out of Hydrosol. To put it differently, our former ‘plant-based baby’ has grown up and is ready to strike out on its own. We’re bundling its capabilities in a dedicated company.”
As Dr. Moser sees it, this is the perfect time to make such a move. “The category of plant-based solutions for alternative forms of nutrition has already attained remarkable scale,” he said. “But it still offers significant further growth opportunities, which we can make much better use of with a dedicated company and a focused strategy.”
According to A.T. Kearney estimates, through 2040 worldwide revenue with plant-based alternatives to meat products will more than triple to US $450 billion. For alternative dairy products, Future Market Insights forecasts a doubling of the market volume through 2029 to around $34.6 billion. Plant-based menu choices are also rapidly becoming popular options for consumers during out-of-home eating occasions.
“Through intensive research, creative ideas and pioneering spirit, at Planteneers we intend to play an active role in shaping the future of the industry,” said Moser. “We’re definitely moving beyond just stabilizing and texturizing. We’re concentrating on the development of trend product concepts in the growth categories. The focus is on plant-based alternatives to meat, sausage and fish products, dairy products and deli foods, as well as hybrid products.”
And Hydrosol? The company will continue to apply proven innovative strength to its core business – the stabilization and texturing of trend products for the dairy, meat and deli foods industry, an important area as the worldwide food industry pays more and more attention to texture in foods. This is particularly the case for categories like free from, clean label and lean label, which continue to see steadily rising demand.
Hydrosol’s expertise in stabilizing and texturing naturally benefits its new sister company. Close communication between the technologists of both enterprises ensures that plant-based desserts have the desirable creamy texture and meat alternatives feature the familiar meaty bite. Through collaboration with the other Stern-Wywiol Gruppe subsidiaries, Planteneers aims to offer customers attractive system solutions from a single source, from stabilizing and texturing to flavoring and fortification.
“We’re positioning Planteneers as a cornerstone within the group,” said Moser. “Issues like environmental protection and animal welfare, as well as health, are currently the main drivers for consumer purchases of plant-based alternatives, and the growing world population is bringing a new dynamic to the field. Plant-based alternatives are gaining enormously in importance, and our clear commitment to this rapidly expanding category.”
Wywiol added: “With this new company we are developing attractive solutions and making an important contribution to the fast growing market for foods from plant-based alternatives. It is our clear objective to establish this newest subsidiary successfully on the international market.”
