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Biotech company NoPalm Ingredients has partnered with Nizo Food Research to establish the first demonstration factory dedicated to the production of sustainable yeast oils at the Food Innovation Campus in Ede in the Netherlands.

This facility marks a pivotal transition from pilot projects to commercial-scale production, underscoring the growing demand for sustainable alternatives to palm oil.

Lars Langhout, CEO and founder of NoPalm Ingredients, said: “From a shaking flask and a

microscope in the lab, we are now building our own factory: dreams are becoming reality".

He continued: "...we are showing the industry that yeast oils no longer only exist in the lab, but can also

be produced at large scale, and that we are a reliable partner for sustainable oil alternatives”.

The new facility will consolidate various production stages, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs, while enabling the company to produce several hundred tons of yeast oil annually, with plans to scale up to over 1,200 tons.

This development is poised to provide food manufacturers with a reliable source of sustainable oil alternatives, facilitating the replacement of conventional oils in their products.

Julie Cortal, chief commercial officer at NoPalm Ingredients, added: “We have proven that our technology works, and by taking the entire process into our own hands, we maintain maximum control over every step: from raw material to end product".

"This guarantees consistent quality, high standards, and security of supply – and with that, a solid foundation for long-term partnerships with customers who want to become more sustainable and grow.”

The Food Innovation Campus, spearheaded by Nizo since 2023, aims to foster collaboration among leading companies in the protein and food sectors.

Nikolaas Vles, CEO of Nizo Food Research, noted that NoPalm Ingredients' presence enhances the region's fermentation cluster, which is crucial for advancing sustainable food innovation.

“They strengthen the fermentation cluster in the region and apply fermentation to fats – an often overlooked but essential part of both the protein and food transition,” Vles commented.

Utilising Nizo's existing infrastructure, NoPalm Ingredients can expedite the construction of its factory, with the first industrial production of yeast oil expected in the latter half of 2026.

The initiative is projected to create 25 jobs in addition to the 25 already employed at NoPalm's headquarters in Wageningen.

Jeroen Blansjaar, COO at NoPalm Ingredients, remarked, “With this factory, we are taking our technology to ‘technology readiness level’ seven and eight, bringing the full process under our own control at industrial scale”.

The establishment of the demonstration factory has been made possible with support from regional stakeholders, including Oost NL, the Province of Gelderland and the Municipality of Ede.

This collaboration is integral to expanding circular food production in the area.