Supporting HealthyProteins in shaping strategic focus for growth

From broad portfolio to focused value creation

HealthyProteins is a young and ambitious B2B supplier of high-quality (organic) plant-based proteins. Its diverse portfolio includes ingredients like almond, fava, pea, buckwheat and rice proteins which can be applied across a wide range of food and nutrition segments.

“We started out as a trader in plant-based proteins and had developed a protein blend suitable for toddler milk, but our strategic direction was unclear. Therefore, we partnered up with Hammer to fuel our strategic decisions using fact-based information.” Johan Kamphuis - CEO, HealthyProteins

The strategic question

With rapid growth in the alternative protein landscape, HealthyProteins aimed to sharpen its strategic focus and define clear growth priorities: where can the company best compete, and which combinations of proteins and applications offer the most value?

HealthyProteins asked Hammer to support this challenge by providing market intelligence on the attractiveness of selected application segments on one hand, and the potential to differentiate based on clear and relevant USPs including well-known health benefits of different protein sources, on the other hand.

“We wanted to move beyond trading and start offering real solutions based on specialty plant-based proteins. To do that, we needed clarity on which protein sources offered the best growth potential and how to differentiate based on strong USPs.” Johan Kamphuis

From market landscape to competitive advantage

To bring clarity, Hammer supported HealthyProteins with a three-step “where to compete” plan. This included:

1. Assessing market attractiveness: For six core applications of plant-based protein, such as baby food and meat alternatives, we provided market intel on consumption volumes, growth trends and plant-based protein penetration.
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2. Assessing differentiation potential: For a specific set of products, we identified relationships between ingredients and functional claims such as ‘vitamin rich’, ‘non-allergenic’ or ‘digestive support’. We explored how the health benefits of ingredients like buckwheat, pea, or fava were leveraged across food categories. This enabled HealthyProteins to understand how to position its ingredients based on their nutritional strengths. By making use of data science techniques like web scraping and advanced analysis, we were able to collect and analyse over 11,000 product-level data points and generate valuable insights on where HealthyProteins could meaningfully differentiate with its portfolio.
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3. Strategic prioritization: By combining the insights from step 1 and 2 into a Market Attractiveness vs. Business Ability (MaBa) model, we enabled HealthyProteins to compare its strategic options both on market attractiveness and on its ability to compete in these markets. This way, HealthyProteins was able to make informed decisions about where to compete, and set clear and realistic growth priorities and goals.

A foundation for strategic choices

Hammer provided HealthyProteins with a market overview and delivered a practical framework for strategic portfolio development. By clearly identifying the intersections where market demand and unique protein functionality meet, the company is now equipped to focus efforts where its impact will be highest.

“Hammer challenged us and delivered results based on solid data. By carefully listening to our goals and needs, they were able to translate these into a step-by-step approach and ultimately delivered the exact insights that we had asked for. Their unique process aided us in laying the foundations for a focused strategy. We’re glad with the outcome and working with the results to get our base level in place.” Johan Kamphuis

Backed by extensive desk research and robust data analysis, HealthyProteins is now better positioned to align its sustainable mission with a focused growth path, shifting from a broad trading model to a solutions-driven approach grounded in the clear strengths of its specialty proteins.

Curious how market intelligence can help your company sharpen its strategic focus, leverage unique product strengths, and capture growth opportunities in a competitive market? Contact Hammer to explore how we can support your strategic decision-making via +31 85 333 2472 or ralph@hammer-intel.com.

This article was written by Ralph Boom

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