The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

MicroHarvest has chosen Industriepark Leuna in Saxony-Anhalt as the site for a planned industrial-scale production facility for protein ingredients made via biomass fermentation.

The plant is designed for an annual capacity of 15,000 tonnes and represents a mid-range double-digit million-euro investment in the region. Approximately 25 jobs are expected to be created. The company said production could begin in around two years.

MicroHarvest has secured an EEW grant of up to €5.46 million from Germany’s Federal Funding Programme for Energy and Resource Efficiency in Industry to support the scale-up of energy- and resource-efficient biomanufacturing.

The Leuna facility will mark MicroHarvest’s move into industrial-scale manufacturing. The company aims to expand fermentation-based protein production to support European supply resilience amid rising demand and supply chain volatility.

The site was selected after reviewing around 40 locations across Europe.

Katelijne Bekers, co-founder and CEO of MicroHarvest, said: “Selecting Leuna is a decisive step as we move from building the technology to building industrial capacity. This project is about strengthening European supply resilience by adding a new, scalable protein ingredient pathway that is independent of seasons and climate volatility. Leuna gives us the industrial backbone and the regional ecosystem to execute.”

The plant will use agri-food side streams – primarily molasses – sourced regionally to support a short supply chain and improve supply security.

MicroHarvest will collaborate with Industriepark Leuna as site operator and utilities provider, as well as regional agri-processing companies supplying feedstock. Local and federal authorities are expected to support the project through permitting and investment incentives.

The company said demand visibility supports the planned 15-kilotonne annual capacity, with ongoing discussions involving multinational customers and mid-sized white-label manufacturers.

The site decision follows recent commercial progress, including product launches with partners VegDog and The Pack.

Jonathan Roberz, co-founder and COO of MicroHarvest, added: “Our goal was to find a site where we can focus on our core biotechnology operations rather than rebuilding industrial basics from scratch. Leuna stood out clearly".

"The infrastructure quality, the utilities and the surrounding agri-processing network create the conditions for rapid execution - exactly what you need when you’re scaling a fermentation-based production system.”