Dutch food tech company Those Vegan Cowboys has raised €6.25 million to scale up the production of cheese made without cows.
The company creates casein, the key milk protein used in cheese, through precision fermentation without using animals.
The funding round was led by Pieter Geelen, co-founder of navigation company TomTom, and included support from Westland Kaas (producer of Old Amsterdam) and other impact investors.
Those Vegan Cowboys was founded by Jaap Korteweg and Niko Koffeman, also known for creating The Vegetarian Butcher.
They started the new company to make cheese that tastes and functions like traditional cheese, but without using animals.
Cheese without the cow
The company’s casein is made in a lab using microorganisms, not cow’s milk. This allows them to create cheeses that melt, stretch, and taste like dairy, including soft, aged, and pizza cheeses.
The cheese is not just for vegans. The company works with food producers, including a German dairy brand that supplies cheese slices to fast food chains.
US approval, Dutch tastings
The startup has already received GRAS status in the United States, meaning the product is considered safe for human consumption. A market launch in the US is expected in 2026.
In the Netherlands, public tastings will begin in 2025, even though the casein protein is not yet approved for full sale in Europe. The company hopes to be on Dutch shelves in about 18 months.
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