SIIG and Unibio to build world's largest single-cell protein plant in Saudi Arabia

At a Glance

The Saudi Industrial Investment Group (SIIG) and Denmark-based Unibio International have formed an 80:20 joint venture to construct the world's largest single-cell protein facility in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The plant will use Unibio's patented vertical loop bioreactor technology to convert natural gas into Uniprotein®, a microbial protein product for animal feed. Initial capacity is set at 50,000 tonnes per year, with plans to scale to over 300,000 tonnes. Construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2026, with commercial production targeted for 2028.

Key Details

• The joint venture follows a $70 million investment in Unibio by SIIG in 2023, and the project has secured a gas allocation from Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy and a site nomination from the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu.
• Uniprotein® is a non-GMO, pesticide-free single-cell protein approved for aquaculture in Saudi Arabia and for feed use in the EU, with additional registrations globally.
• The facility's front-end engineering design was completed last year, and the project aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy.
• The plant aims to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on animal feed imports while also serving international markets.

Top Quote

"The world needs innovators who collectively want to find a solution to providing food stability for future generations. We believe that our fermentation technology, which incorporates the most efficient reactor of its kind in gas fermentation, is ideal for Saudi Arabia." —David Henstrom, CEO of Unibio