Finnish biotech start-up company Enifer has awarded Sweco a new contract to establish a new plant for the industrial production of mycoprotein. Production starts in 2026, and the plant will be the world’s first to utilise side streams from food production on a commercial scale in an industrial symbiosis. Sweco will deliver services for project management, plant design, building permits, procurement and construction management in a project valued at EUR 4.2 million.

(Press photo showing mycoprotein, for free use, please credit photographer: Enifer/Iiro Muttilainen)

Mycoprotein is a high-quality, fungus-based protein source and is used in the food industry as a sustainable substitute for meat. Mycoprotein is derived from the mycelium (“root network”) of fungi that is grown in fermentation tanks.

Enifer’s new plant aims to produce 3 million kilos of mycoprotein per year, which would cover the annual protein needs of 40,000 people. As Enifer’s Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) partner, Sweco is responsible for the overall design, building permission processes, procurement services, project management and construction management of the new plant.

“Sweco is excited to be involved in enabling the food revolution, where domestic protein production that utilises side streams will reduce emissions from food production. Enifer’s production concept enables efficient protein production based on a circular economy, and we are grateful for the trust in our EPCM expertise. Our experience in food sector licensing will ensure fast implementation of this project,” says Thomas Hietto, Business Area President of Sweco Finland.

The plant will be built at the existing sugar manufacturing premises and will utilise the existing steam, electricity, process and cooling water, and wastewater treatment available in the area. In addition, raw materials from sugar and dairy production side streams will also be utilised.

“Our process concept for manufacturing mycoprotein is new and we have a lot to do in a limited amount of time. Finding a reliable EPCM partner was vital to the success of our project. The production facility will be built in existing premises, which encourages us to develop new solutions. As a start-up company, we have limited resources at our disposal, and we found Sweco to be an efficient and productive partner to achieve an industrial symbiosis where we maximise the use of food industry side streams,” says Simo Ellilä, CEO of Enifer.

Mycoprotein has not previously been produced from food industry side streams using this kind of production method, and has only been used to refine feed protein from forest industry side streams.