From Waste Cost to Green Gas: Valuing Category 2 Poultry Material via Biogas Production | DUC East
We are looking for students with a background or interest in agriculture and food. Technical students are also welcome. Students who can translate sustainability and consumer behavior into a clear and feasible communication approach are a great fit for this challenge.
1. Description of the Challenge
Plukon Food Group is an innovative player in the European food industry, supplying poultry, ready meals, salads, meal components, and alternative proteins to major European food partners. In the Netherlands, Plukon mainly produces under private labels for retailers such as Albert Heijn. As a result, Plukon itself is often not visible to consumers, and choices regarding packaging claims and product information are always coordinated with customers.
The Problem
Poultry processing generates Category 2 animal byproducts that currently cannot be reused directly and require costly disposal through specialized processors. Meanwhile, the growing demand for sustainable energy in the Netherlands presents an opportunity to utilize this organic stream. However, current European and national regulations prohibit the direct use of Category 2 material in biogas plants.
The Challenge
To unlock this potential, the material requires an additional processing step—such as thermal treatment or hygienization—to meet regulatory standards. Furthermore, the company already produces wastewater treatment sludge that is externally processed in biogas facilities. Combining Category 2 material with this existing sludge stream could yield technical and economic synergies, but the exact technical route, compliance frameworks, and financial viability remain to be defined.
2. Expected Outcome
The Desired Outcome
A clear feasibility roadmap that defines how Category 2 material can be legally, technically, and economically transformed from a costly waste stream into a valuable biogas feedstock. Your final proposal should deliver:
Regulatory Mapping: A clear overview of relevant national and EU legislation governing Category 2 processing and biogas integration.
Processing Routes: Identified pre-treatment methods (e.g., thermal treatment) required to meet safety and compliance standards.
Concept Design: A process overview for co-processing Category 2 material together with wastewater sludge.
Business Case: An initial economic assessment of cost savings, required investments, and overall impact on the energy transition.
About Plukon Food Group
Plukon Food Group is a European food company supplying poultry, meals and salads, meal components, and alternative proteins to retailers, foodservice customers, and other partners in the food industry.
With 44 locations across seven countries and over 12,000 employees, the company operates internationally and focuses on translating customer needs into products, concepts, and agricultural solutions. Plukon produces food products for consumers across Europe. Its motto is:“Think Fresh. Act Fresh. Make Fresh.”
Plukon's mission is to produce food while taking people, animals, and the environment into consideration. Together with retail partners and foodservice customers, Plukon works on the development of products and food solutions that meet the changing needs of consumers and customers.