Utrecht, 2 June 2026 – Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs is acquiring the innovation platform Foodbytes from Rabobank. Since 2015, Foodbytes has been an international hub for startups, corporates, and investors active in the agri and food sectors. The platform brings together stakeholders working on areas such as regenerative agriculture, alternative protein production, robotics and automation in farming, and innovations in seaweed production. The acquisition was announced today at VIV Europe 2026, the international agritech exhibition currently taking place at Jaarbeurs.

Jaarbeurs has been active worldwide in the agri and food sector for over forty years through VIV Worldwide, a global network of events. Jeroen van Hooff, CEO of Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs:
“With Foodbytes, we are making a significant step forward in creating digital opportunities for our community in this sector. Live encounters are and will remain crucial; with Foodbytes, we are also expanding our online offering of relevant meeting spaces for decision-makers, investors and entrepreneurs. It is not only part of our digital strategy, but also of the further development of our position in this sector. With Foodbytes, we gain insights and knowledge that we can share with the food and agri community to support their growth. Rabobank and Jaarbeurs know each other as trusted and inspiring partners—and we are literally neighbors in Utrecht. We are therefore very pleased to continue our collaboration, including in the context of Foodbytes.”

Foodbytes has grown rapidly in recent years and is now ready to enter its next phase of growth. Roland van der Vorst, Strategic Advisor to the Executive Board of Rabobank and, as former Head of Innovation, responsible for launching Foodbytes:
“Following extensive analysis, it appears more promising to grow Foodbytes outside the walls of a strictly regulated financial institution.”

Rabobank clients will continue to use Foodbytes as they are accustomed to, as the close collaboration between Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs and Rabobank will remain in place. Foodbytes will become an independent company within the Jaarbeurs group. Van Hooff:
“In addition, we will jointly explore new markets, such as Health and Energy. In these sectors too, we expect this proposition as an online hub to add significant value to the Jaarbeurs portfolio.”

About Foodbytes
Foodbytes started in 2015 as a pitch competition for promising food and agri startups. In recent years, it has evolved into a collaborative innovation platform that helps companies and investors work with startups and scale-ups. Rabobank will remain closely involved with Foodbytes as a strategic partner.

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Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs
Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs organizes and facilitates trade fairs, conferences, and events, based in Utrecht. With over 110 years of experience, Jaarbeurs creates meaningful live encounters where people and ideas come together. From its home base in Utrecht, Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs combines its strong position in the Netherlands with international activities through VNU Exhibitions Europe, VNU Asia Pacific, and VIV Worldwide. Under the tagline We Are Live, the organization enhances physical events with digital experiences and smart technology to create value for visitors and partners 365 days a year.