Rival Foods raises €10 mln to scale plant-based meat
Dutch foodtech scale-up Rival Foods has raised €10 million in a Series B funding round.
Published on June 18, 2025
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A plant protein product with just as good a bite as a good piece of meat. That is what they are working on at Rival Foods in Ede. The scale-up was founded in 2019 by Birgit Dekkers as a spin-off from Wageningen University & Research. The €10 million investment round was led by pension investor APG, on behalf of ABP, with participation from PYMWYMIC and ROM Utrecht Regio, and a follow-on investment from existing shareholder PeakBridge.
Under Dekker's leadership, the company developed a proprietary platform for producing whole-cut meat alternatives - products that accurately mimic the texture, taste, and mouthfeel of animal meats while being fully plant-based, clean-label, and minimally processed. With no artificial additives, these products are designed to meet the highest culinary standards in the industry. They are specifically developed for foodservice, retail, and brands seeking to push the boundaries of plant-based innovation.
Next step: double production and cut costs
The new financing will allow Rival Foods to double the production capacity of its Geldrop plant and further scale up its patented production technology. It will also enable the company to optimize production costs further, offering competitive prices relative to animal meat without compromising on taste, texture, or nutritional value.
“This investment marks an important milestone in our mission to make high-quality plant-based meat mainstream,” said ceo Dekkers. "With the support of top investors, we are poised to scale up and reshape the future of protein quickly. We are not called Rival for nothing - we are here to compete."
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B2B approach with international ambition
Rival Foods is taking a B2B-first approach. The company is working with chefs, retailers, and food brands across Europe to bring the next generation of plant-based dishes to consumers' plates. In addition to scaling the operation, the funding will be used to expand the team, drive international growth, and initiate new collaborations with major players in the foodservice and retail sectors.
"Rival Foods has built something special: a scalable process to convert standard plant-based proteins into exciting, fibrous structures reminiscent of meat. Rival Foods' products offer a satisfying bite with high protein content and a clean label," said Lodewijk Meens, senior portfolio manager, APG.