MicroHarvest Picks Leuna for 15,000-Tonne Microbial Protein Plant

At a Glance

MicroHarvest, a Hamburg-based biotechnology company specialising in microbial fermentation, has selected Industriepark Leuna in Saxony-Anhalt as the site for its first large-scale production facility. The plant, backed by a mid-range double-digit million euro investment and a €5.46 million federal grant, is designed to produce 15,000 tonnes of protein ingredients annually and create approximately 25 jobs. Production is targeted to begin in roughly two years, positioning the company to serve growing demand across aquaculture, pet food, and human food markets.

Key Details

• MicroHarvest evaluated around 40 potential sites across Europe before choosing Leuna for its industrial infrastructure, utility access, and proximity to regional agri-food feedstock suppliers, primarily molasses.
• The company 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.
• The announcement was attended by Gitta Connemann, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, and Sven Schulze, Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt.
• MicroHarvest reports strong demand visibility for the planned capacity and is in discussions with multinational customers and mid-sized white-label manufacturers.
• The company's proprietary microbial fermentation technology can convert agri-food byproducts into high-quality protein within 24 hours.

Quotes

"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."
— Katelijne Bekers, Co-Founder and CEO of MicroHarvest