First edition of the European conference on alternative proteins in pet food brings 100+ veterinarians, researchers and industry professionals to Bussum, Netherlands, to confront a widening gap between consumer openness and market reality.
BUSSUM, THE NETHERLANDS — ProPAWS (NGO) today announced the program for the first edition of the ProPAWS Conference, a full-day professional event dedicated to sustainable and alternative-protein pet food, taking place November 12, 2026, at De Groene Afslag in Bussum. The conference will bring together more than 100 veterinarians, researchers, breeders, and pet food industry professionals from across Europe for a day of talks, panel discussions, and networking across two stages.
The event is organized around a striking data gap: recent survey research shows that 43% of pet guardians would consider healthy sustainable alternative food options for their dogs, and 24% would consider cultivated-meat alternatives. Yet estimated market share for sustainable alternative pet food options remains at just 1 to 3%. ProPAWS Conference 2026 is built to examine that gap directly, asking not whether alternative proteins belong in pet food, but why adoption still lags so far behind stated consumer interest, and what it will take to close that distance.
An Open Inquiry to Science, Not an Activist Movement
The program is designed to be relevant to skeptical and conventional-industry attendees as much as to those already working in alternative proteins, and speakers are asked to present evidence and open questions rather than conclusions. All catering at the conference is fully plant-based, a deliberate conference value rather than a background policy.
“We are not asking attendees to already be convinced. We are asking them to look at the numbers with us, and discuss together why the market has not caught up with what pet guardians say they are open to.”
Nick Stocker, Director, Stichting ProPAWS
A Full Day of Evidence and Debate
Running across multiple stages, the program features a variety of speakers, including confirmed sessions such as:
- Novel Proteins and their potential – Esther Hagen-Plantinga, veterinarian and ECVCN diplomate, founder of FeedWise and Nutrissues
- What We Can Learn From Animals – Eva Meijer, philosopher, author, artist
- Nutritional Analysis of Available Plant-based Pet Food – Rebecca Brociek, veterinarian and researcher
- Measuring the Pawprint of the Bowl – Billy Nicholles & Blonk Consultancy, researchers
- Consumer Behavior and Attitudes towards Alternative Proteins, a Market Analysis
- Multiple panel discussions, such as: Pet Food Conversations in Vet Clinics, and Growing Opportunities for the Industry
The day closes with drinks for all attendees, followed by an exclusive dinner for sponsors and ProPAWS Impact Club members. Full program details, including additional sessions will be announced soon via LinkedIN and the ProPAWS website.
Why This Conference, Why Now
The protein transition already underway in human food has been slower to reach pet food, even as awareness of pet food’s environmental footprint grows among consumers. ProPAWS Conference exists to close three specific gaps: a knowledge gap among veterinarians and professionals advising pet guardians, a supply gap in the alternative proteins available on the market, and a coordination gap between producers, retailers, researchers and policymakers who are not yet working from a shared evidence base.
About Stichting ProPAWS
Stichting ProPAWS is a European community working to accelerate the transition to healthy, sustainable alternative proteins in pet food. ProPAWS connects veterinarians, researchers, breeders, entrepreneurs, nutritionists, and pet guardians, and pursues its mission through research funding, professional education, market development, and public dialogue. ProPAWS was founded in 2026 and operates independently of commercial interests.
Tickets and Sponsorship
Tickets are available now, with early bird, regular, and student pricing tiers. Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsorship packages are open, offering program slots, visual presence at the event, and access to the ProPAWS Impact Club dinner. Organizations interested in tailored partnership arrangements are invited to contact ProPAWS directly.
Contact: Nick Stocker, Director, Stichting ProPAWS
Event: ProPAWS Conference 2026, November 12, De Groene Afslag, Bussum, The Netherlands
Email: info@propaws.org
Website: www.propaws.org
