Those Vegan Cowboys

Those Vegan Cowboys is a Belgian biotech company founded in January 2020 by Jaap Korteweg and Niko Koffeman, the founders of De Vegetarische Slager (The Vegetarian Butcher). Based in Ghent, Belgium near Ghent University, the company uses precision fermentation to produce cow-free casein — the milk protein responsible for the taste and texture of cheese. Their proprietary bioreactor, nicknamed 'Margaret' (the Iron Lady), ferments microbes to produce animal-identical dairy proteins without any cows. The company has received GRAS status in the United States and is working toward commercializing animal-free cheese products globally.