From a blender at the kitchen table to an innovative medical nutrition company. With Newly Blend, Nelleke Litjens is developing a new generation of tube feeding formula based on natural ingredients.

In doing so, it is entering a market that has been dominated by major international players for decades. And the road to get there was anything but easy. But with new products and international ambitions, Newly Blend is determined to make a difference.

A personal journey

The story of Newly Blend began about fifteen years ago. Nelleke’s youngest son, Maurits, was four years old when he had a serious accident. Since then, he has been dependent on intensive care, including tube feeding. What initially seemed like a godsend soon turned out to be a major problem. Maurits had difficulty tolerating the feed, was constantly vomiting, suffered from diarrhoea and was losing weight.

"We tried eight different types of tube feeding, but nothing helped. In the end, he was given more and more medication to suppress the symptoms. His world had already become so small as a result of the accident. When he was no longer able to go to school because of all the vomiting, I thought: this simply isn’t on."

Nelleke decided to try something herself. She started blending ordinary meals and feeding them to him using a feeding syringe. The results were astonishing. “Within a week, the vomiting had stopped and his stools were back to normal. A month later, we were even able to stop the medication. After two years of searching, we’d finally found something that worked.”

From the kitchen table to medical innovation

For years, Nelleke prepared Maurits’s feed herself, until she was approached by a dietetics student conducting research into homemade tube feed, also known as a blended diet. Through this research, she came into contact with dietitians from various teaching hospitals. They recognised the issue and explained that many more patients struggle to tolerate tube feeding.

"The dietitians supported parents who prepared their own baby food, but that is incredibly labour-intensive. Especially with growing children, you need to know exactly which nutrients they require. There was a great need for a ready-made alternative."

The dietitians challenged Nelleke to investigate whether such a product could be developed within the strict legal and regulatory framework governing medical nutrition. It was a challenge that the former marketing manager seized upon with both hands. She spent a year immersing herself in scientific literature, food safety and regulations. A team of twelve dietitians then spent over eight months developing four nutritionally complete recipes. Working alongside a food technologist, a manufacturer and a laboratory, these were translated into a reproducible production process.

"Developing medical nutrition is incredibly complex. If someone is entirely dependent on tube feeding, that nutrition must contain all the necessary nutrients. Furthermore, every package must be guaranteed to meet the same strict requirements."

Innovation means never stopping learning

The first products are delivered frozen to preserve their freshness. This was a conscious choice, but in practice it has turned out not to be equally convenient for everyone. “I wanted to make the food as fresh and of the highest quality as possible. But we discovered that ease of use is just as important. Many patients are used to nutrition that they can connect directly to a pump. They don’t want to have to defrost anything first.”

These insights are leading to new developments. The company has now developed two new tube feeds under the name: Nuvante Medical Nutrition. These can be stored at room temperature and connected directly to existing feeding pumps. Newly Blend has also developed its own administration system that makes it easy to deliver nutrition in portions.

In addition, the positioning has changed. Whereas the emphasis used to be on fresh and natural ingredients, the focus is now primarily on digestibility. “Ultimately, it’s about what food means to each individual. It’s about people being able to digest their food well, getting enough energy and feeling better. That’s what we do it for.”

From Limburg to Europe

Nelleke now runs the business together with her eldest son, Maxim. It’s a special partnership, as he too has experienced first-hand what the search for suitable nutrition for his little brother meant. “Maxim understands better than anyone why we do this. Drawing on his own experience, he can explain just how important good nutrition is for patients and their families.” And Maurits? “He’s closely involved as an ambassador for Newly Blend. He now uses the formula himself and has, as a result, reached a healthy weight.”

Meanwhile, the company’s ambitions extend beyond the Netherlands. Newly Blend is collaborating with research institutions, including the universities of Maastricht and Wageningen, and is exploring the possibilities of bringing its products to market in other European countries as well.

Nelleke sees the fact that the market is slowly starting to shift as an important development. “We’re seeing that even major brands are now introducing products that fit in with the meal concept. That was exactly what we started doing a few years ago. I think that’s a very positive thing. The more attention this receives, the more choice patients will ultimately have.”

To be significant

With high-quality products and international ambitions, Newly Blend continues to build on its market position. But no matter how big the company becomes, for Nelleke, the original mission remains the guiding principle. “The best moments are the reactions from patients and parents. When someone tells me that their child is finally thriving, has fewer symptoms and is feeling better, then I know why we do what we do.”

For Nelleke, her personal and professional motivations come together in this. “There has been so much suffering and sadness. If we can take something from that to help other people, then it won’t all have been in vain.”