Fermented drinks are gaining attention for a good reason. They offer complexity, acidity, freshness and a culinary role that can sit next to beer and wine, while opening new possibilities for consumers looking for flavourful alternatives. A recent article in Dagblad van het Noorden highlighted this movement through the work of Floris and his team in Groningen, who are developing living foods and drinks with a clear culinary ambition.
At SG Papertronics and Beer-o-Meter, we are excited to support this type of local innovation with something every fermentation-driven product needs: actionable process data.
Fermentation is powerful, but it is also dynamic. A living drink is not simply a recipe in a bottle. It is the result of microbial activity, sugars, acidity, time, temperature and stabilization choices. Small changes in these parameters can influence flavour, alcohol formation, shelf-life stability and product consistency. This is why process control becomes so important.
A local collaboration
Our collaboration with Parrhesia focuses on helping the team better understand what happens during production and product development. By measuring key parameters such as sugars and pH at different stages of the process, we can support decisions that are normally difficult to make by sensory evaluation alone.
For product developers, this creates immediate value. Data can show when fermentation is complete, how much fermentable sugar remains, whether a formulation is stable after flavouring, and whether the final product behaves consistently over time. It also helps identify the right moment for interventions such as cooling, pasteurization, filtration or recipe adjustment.
This is especially relevant for fermented drinks positioned as premium, culinary or alcohol-free alternatives. In these categories, quality is not only about taste. It is also about consistency, safety, labelling confidence and consumer trust. Reliable process data helps producers protect the product story they want to tell.
We also want to thank SNN for stimulating local collaborations like this. SNN's proeftuin approach highlights the value of giving entrepreneurs access to knowledge, expertise and facilities to test and develop innovative ideas in the Northern Netherlands.
For us, this is exactly what regional innovation should look like: local companies working together, combining practical product development with analytical technology, and turning promising ideas into scalable businesses.
Growing the fermentation ecosystem
These collaborations do more than solve technical questions. They build long-term business relationships in the Groningen region. They connect startups, food producers, researchers, technologists and support organisations around real market needs. They also help create meaningful work for technical talent in the region.
That matters. If we want Groningen and the Northern Netherlands to become stronger in food innovation, fermentation, biotechnology and process technology, we need projects where local talent can learn, contribute and grow. Collaborations like this help retain people in the region, attract new talent, and show that high-quality innovation does not only happen in traditional biotech or food hubs.
At SG Papertronics and Beer-o-Meter, our goal is simple: make laboratory-grade process insights easier to access, closer to production, and more useful for decision-making.
Whether it is beer, kombucha, water kefir, precision fermentation or other fermented products, the principle is the same. Better data leads to better decisions. Better decisions lead to better products.
We are proud to contribute to this growing fermentation ecosystem in Groningen and look forward to supporting more local producers with the tools and data they need to develop consistent, high-quality products.