Brewer’s grain becomes the base for cookies, cakes and crackers

Brewers’ spent grain. The product left over after brewing beer. Duynie, Van Eigen Deeg and Qrackers are now giving it a second life. Using a patented separation technology, Duynie separates the fibres and proteins. The protein, known as BSG protein, is made suitable for food. And that is exactly what the three partners are doing with it: producing cookies, cakes and crackers.

Project Circular Qrunch – Valorising Brewers’ Spent Grain

Brewers’ Spent Grain (BSG) is a valuable co-product of beer brewing. To meet climate targets and move towards net zero, breweries are increasingly adopting circular solutions. These reduce waste and improve efficiency in the use of raw materials, while lowering environmental impact.

With innovative separation techniques and application testing, Duynie makes BSG protein suitable for use in food products. Within Project Circular Qrunch, Duynie, Van Eigen Deeg and Qrackers are working together on tasty, nutritious and sustainable bakery products made with plant-based protein from brewers’ spent grain.

The project promotes the protein transition and circularity in the food industry. At the same time, it delivers economic, ecological and social value for SMEs in Gelderland and Overijssel.

Duynie, Van Eigen Deeg and Qrackers

The three Dutch partners bring together the entire value chain – from sustainable production and flavour development to large-scale applications in the bakery sector.

• Duynie is responsible for the innovative separation technology that extracts fibres and proteins from brewers’ spent grain. By making BSG protein suitable for use in food, the company plays a central role in both development and scale-up within Circular Qrunch.
• Van Eigen Deeg (Nijmegen) develops new recipes and tests cookie and cake varieties enriched with BSG protein. The focus is on taste, texture and nutritional value. With plant-based recipes, sustainable packaging and collaborations with institutions such as the Arnhem and Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences, Van Eigen Deeg contributes to the protein transition and inspires sustainability within the bakery sector.
• Qrackers BV (Druten) focuses on crackers that are not only tasty and nutritious but also healthy, with as few additives and as little salt as possible. The new production facility, opened in 2024, is CO₂-neutral thanks to electric ovens and 350 solar panels. As part of Circular Qrunch, Qrackers develops and tests crackers enriched with BSG protein. Here too, the emphasis is on taste, texture and nutritional value. Packaging is carried out by employees with a distance to the labour market.

EFRO-Oost support

The project receives support from the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (EFRO-Oost). This programme of the provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland helps regional SMEs bring new products to market and contributes to an innovative, sustainable economy in the eastern Netherlands.

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