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When Tetra Pak acquired fermentation specialist Bioreactors.net in December last year, the move signalled a decisive push to deepen its capabilities in the rapidly evolving 'New Food' category. By integrating bioreactor design and upstream fermentation expertise into its existing downstream processing, automation and packaging portfolio, the company aims to offer fully integrated, end-to-end solutions for precision and biomass fermentation.

In this interview, Rafael Barros, Tetra Pak’s director of the New Food business stream at Tetra Pak, explains how the acquisition fills a critical strategic gap, addresses scale-up bottlenecks and positions Tetra Pak as a full-service partner for both start-ups and established food manufacturers entering fermentation-derived foods and ingredients.

What strategic gap does the acquisition of Bioreactors.net fill in Tetra Pak’s New Food portfolio?

Our Bioreactors.net acquisition strengthens our capabilities in fermentation, which is the technological backbone of the New Food category. By integrating Bioreactors.net’s proven expertise in bioreactor design and fermentation processes, we can now bring complete process solutions starting upstream, including bioreactors, to a full portfolio of downstream processing technologies, all under one roof

This closes a critical offerings gap and positions Tetra Pak as a full-service solution for companies innovating in precision and biomass fermentation.

From a technology standpoint, what differentiates Bioreactors.net’s bioreactor systems from other solutions on the market?

Bioreactors.net offers a comprehensive portfolio of bioreactor systems, from lab scale to industrial scale, that’s fit for food manufacturing.

The company’s deep knowledge of fermentation processes – combined with a portfolio that offers advanced process control, flexibility across different fermentation types and scalability – is essential for efficiently transitioning from pilot to commercial production. This level of specialisation and adaptability is what sets the company apart.

How does this deal help precision and biomass fermentation companies overcome the biggest scale-up bottlenecks?

Scale-up is one of the biggest challenges in fermentation. Bioreactors.net brings deep expertise in designing and commissioning bioreactors that maintain process integrity as volumes increase.

Combining that with our downstream processing and global service network, we can now support customers through every stage, from formulation and pilot runs to full-scale industrial production. This can reduce risk and accelerate time to market while we keep in mind important factors, such as the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), to keep production costs low and allow new business cases to become financially viable.

Where are you seeing the strongest near-term demand: early-stage start-ups, or established food and ingredient producers entering fermentation?

We see strong interest from both early stage and established segments. Start-ups are driving innovation in this field, while established food producers are exploring fermentation to diversify their portfolios and improve sustainability. Our integrated offering appeals to both start-ups, which benefit from scalability and technical support, and to larger companies, which value our ability to deliver complete, industrial-scale solutions globally.

How will Bioreactors.net’s expertise be integrated into Tetra Pak’s upstream and downstream processing capabilities?

Bioreactors.net will become part of our centre of expertise for bioreactor design and fermentation technologies within the New Food business stream. The company’s portfolio will be integrated into our upstream processing capabilities and will complement our wide portfolio of process solutions, enabling us to deliver end-to-end solutions for New Food products from fermentation to filling and packaging under the Tetra Pak brand.

What role will digitalisation, automation and process control play in the next generation of bioreactors you’re developing?

Digitalisation, automation and process control will play a central role moving forward. Advanced automation and digital process control are key to ensuring consistency, efficiency and scalability in fermentation.

We have recently launched our latest automation platform Tetra Pak Factory OS, which will serve as the foundation to the advancements in artificial intelligence with which we will be able not only to connect to the factory floor and obtain data but also to contextualise it by leveraging on our years of experience in food manufacturing. All of this, including bioreactors, will be available in our full portfolio.

How do sustainability and energy efficiency influence bioreactor design decisions today?

Sustainability is a major driver of design decisions. Energy efficiency, water usage and resource optimization are critical considerations in bioreactor design. Our goal is to help customers reduce their environmental footprint while maintaining high productivity. This means designing systems that minimize waste, enable side-stream valorisation and operate with lower energy consumption.

On top of this, sustainability has always been a top priority at Tetra Pak. With the support of our Factory Sustainable Solutions team, we are able to look into resource optimisation from a factory level and propose solutions that not only are sustainable but also convert into lower Total Cost of Ownership and better operating costs for our customers.

What should customers expect to see change – in practical terms – within the next 12-24 months as a result of this acquisition?

Customers will see an expanded portfolio of bioreactor solutions under the Tetra Pak brand, backed by global service and technical support. Practically, this means easier access to complete process solutions – from lab-scale development to industrial-scale production – along with specialised fermentation expertise. Over time, we’ll also integrate Bioreactors.net’s technologies with our automation and digital platforms, creating ever more efficient and sustainable systems.