Netherlands-based insect-meal producer Protix is seeing increased demand in its markets despite the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, and is in the midst of assessing how this may also impact customer relationships going forward.

Having to stay at home day in and day out is driving a new approach to interacting with communities and companies. And this, according to Protix CEO Kees Aarts, may lead to the convergence of sustainability, health and solidarity, "especially since this is a health crisis with economic consequences but within a social framework," he said.

"The movement will definitely trigger a broad tilt towards rethinking supply chains and the need for more self-sufficiency," Aarts said.

Companies in that sense should look at the crisis as an investment rather than a cost to come out with entirely new business propositions, he said.

"It is interesting to look at this again in the next four to six weeks to really understand how the new supply chain and innovative products are going to look."

With the company still running under its "vital sector" status, Protix customers are happy they are still receiving suppl, and the company is excited how this may accelerate opportunities for sustainability conscious consumers, already a growing segment.

A social lens

"The fact that it is a social crisis, we are putting the safety and wellbeing of our people first," Aarts said. "Even though there is a lot of uncertainty, we want to reduce uncertainty for our people, which is why we maintained salaries and the planning for salary increases."

However, with international expansion planned for next year, the company is also ruthlessly focused on cost.

"Our people need to feel safe and reassured that we are here for the long-run because we made big investments for the long-run and that came first," Aarts said.

Protix is stepping on the accelerator of operational growth following the private equity-backed funding it received in March from Rabo Corporate Investments.

At present, Protix is in the third phase of its evolution, marked by the inauguration of its Bergen Op Zoom production facility last summer.

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