Interview with Jurgen Snelders: From Upstream R&D Manager to Plant Manager Demonstration Factory

Jurgen Snelders has been with NoPalm Ingredients for 2.5 years. With a broad background in industrial biotechnology and food production management, he brings valuable experience in scaling up processes and leading teams. We spoke with him about his career, his contributions to NoPalm Ingredients, and the future of the demonstration factory. 

Can you tell us about your professional background and the experiences that shaped your expertise before joining NoPalm Ingredients? 

“My career started in industrial biotechnology, in the lab at Corbion where I developed new processes. After that, I worked at Dyadic for 8 years, developing and scaling up enzyme processes from lab scale to full production scale. I then became division manager of the NIZO pilot plant on the Ede campus, where I gained a lot of experience in scaling up food processes to semi-commercial scale. 

Later, I worked for 4.5 years at Mérieux NutriSciences as operations manager, where I was responsible for both the chemistry and microbiological lab in the field of food safety. 

The common thread in my career is clear: scaling up fermentation processes to industrial scale, combined with management experience. This way, I’ve had the chance to see and learn about all the important aspects of food production scaling and food safety.” 

What was it like when you started at NoPalm Ingredients? 

“When I first applied to NoPalm Ingredients, almost three years ago, the team was still only five people. At that time, there wasn’t yet space to hire me, but thanks to the company’s fast growth, there was an opportunity six months later. By then, the team had grown to eight, and almost at the same time as me, three new colleagues joined. Suddenly we were thirteen. The process was in place at a basic level, and with a strong team, we could really start looking at how to scale it up.” 

What makes your work at NoPalm Ingredients so valuable to you? 

“I’ve always worked in places with a strong team spirit, and I find that same spirit at NoPalm Ingredients. In my early years, I called myself a ‘lab rat,’ but later I got the chance to take the step into management. Being able to apply my knowledge and experience in a startup environment, where you get a lot of freedom and opportunities, felt like a natural next step. It’s as if everything I’ve done in my career so far comes together here.” 

What have been the most impactful contributions or experiences for you since joining NoPalm Ingredients? 

“Two things stand out for me. 

First, building and starting up our pilot plant. Thanks to my background in fermentation and semi-pilot scale production, I was able to set up and guide that process relatively quickly. 

Second, scaling up to industrial production at CMO sites. I already had a lot of experience with scaling up and knew the European landscape of production facilities well. That helped to organize the process efficiently and effectively. Ultimately, we succeeded in actually producing oil on an industrial scale. This has been a huge milestone for NoPalm Ingredients.” 

Looking ahead: what gives you the most energy and inspiration about the future of this industry and your role at NoPalm Ingredients? 

“The most inspiring thing is that we’re now really moving towards production at commercial scale. The idea that you can convert yeast into oil at scale is becoming a reality, and I get to contribute to both the design and the start-up of our demonstration factory. 

On top of that, it’s very motivating to know that our solution will save significant amounts of CO₂ emissions and land use. NoPalm Ingredients is moving from an idea to reality, and being able to play a part in that – by building the team and later running the factory – makes this a very special journey for me.”