Column by Saskia Stender: Recharged… and moving on

The moment schools are back in session and traffic jams return, you know summer is just about over. While some are still in holiday mode, others are already stepping into autumn with fresh energy and new plans. Calendars are gradually filling up again, the first networking events and trade shows are scheduled. You can almost feel it: the battery is recharged.

I notice it in the people around me. There’s a sense of momentum—plans, ideas, energy. It doesn't have to be grand or ambitious; it's simply the motivation to get things going. That project that’s been on hold. A customer you meant to call. Or a product line that could use an update.

Within the network, I hear more and more often that companies are making real progress when it comes to proteins. No longer testing the waters—just moving forward. The protein shift is no longer a future ambition; it’s something we’re all actively involved in. I’m hearing terms that aren’t part of my daily vocabulary. New binding techniques, fermentation, extrusion—I don’t claim to understand all the details, but the drive behind it is clear. It’s no longer just about innovation; it’s about making decisions.

It’s impressive to see. In a sector already under pressure, companies continue to move forward. Not because policy says so, but because it genuinely feels necessary.

I observe, I listen, I connect. What helps me is to occasionally think back to that holiday—an empty head, a full battery. That feeling. Try to hold on to it.

And if that battery does start to run low again… luckily, there’s always coffee.

Saskia Stender
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