CereX and Looop launch collaboration

Beer brew, a byproduct of the brewing process, is known for its richness in plant protein and fiber. This makes it a valuable food source for cattle. Kelly Vermeer, Procurement & Development Manager at Looop, emphasizes the regional aspect of this cooperation: "As a Limburg-based organization with a Brabant slant, we have a broad network of agricultural entrepreneurs in the region. This enables us to give the by-product a sustainable destination locally."

CereX and Looop share a strong commitment to circularity and promoting sustainable business practices, which has led to this collaboration. The valorization of beer brew is a striking example of high-quality reuse that fits within the framework of the circular economy. By returning the by-product as high up the food chain as possible, the by-product retains its value and waste is avoided. Broos Swinkels, General Manager CereX: "The cooperation with Looop feels very logical: we both have the ambition to do circular business. We have been reusing brewers' grains in a high-quality manner for years, but the great thing about this cooperation is that the brewers' grains now go to local farmers, thus reducing CO2 emissions. This way we pass on our family business even more beautifully to the next generations."

CereX (Cereal eXtracts) is an organization specializing, on the one hand, in the production of malt extracts and mixtures to promote local production of non-alcoholic beers and other malt beverages, and, on the other hand, in the high-quality reuse of co-products resulting from the brewing process. CereX's co-products are suitable for a wide range of health applications, including use in food, pet food and feed. Founded in 2009, CereX is part of Royal Swinkels Family Brewers, an independent family brewer with more than 300 years of experience in the malt and beer industry. The ambition is to pass on the family business even more beautifully to the next generations, which is why Royal Swinkels Family Brewers strives to do business in a fully circular way. The CereX business unit fulfills this ambition by, among other things, the high-quality reuse of co-products.

Looop, based in Venlo (NL), is an independent (knowledge) partner for upgrading by-products derived from the food, beverage and fermentation industries. The portfolio includes versatile by-products from grains, corn and other organic raw materials, which can be used as high-quality ingredients for animal and livestock feed, as renewable energy sources and for the production of innovative bio-based products. By valorizing organic by-products, Looop strives to create a fully circular world where waste no longer exists.