23 Apr 2021 --- Cargill has entered a joint venture (JV) in Bflike, a Dutch start-up poised to be a new technology leader in the rapidly evolving meat and fish alternatives categories. This move illustrates how Cargill collaborates with the start-up world to speed up the process of bringing innovation to consumers amid rising flexitarian and meat-reducing trends. Cargill’s 50 percent investment in Bflike is realized through a JV with Blue Ocean Xlerator NV (BOX), a Dutch private incubator focused on sustainable innovations in the food sector.Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, both companies spell out the synergies of this JV, which focuses on plant-based alternatives that look, feel and cook like their animal counterparts. “Today’s start-ups face a number of issues when trying to scale up. Partnering with a global company like Cargill removes a lot of these hurdles when it comes to critical ingredients availability and multi-country supply chain deployment,” explains Belgin Köse, segment director enrichment & renewability for Cargill Starches, Sweeteners & Texturizers Europe.