GEA invested in technology center for alternative proteins in the USA

GEA invested EUR 18 million (USD 20 million) in a technology center for alternative proteins

GEA's cutting-edge technologies and a team of biotechnology specialists serve as the foundation for scaling new food for industrial production, which is experiencing growing demand in the USA. Groundbreaking for the new GEA campus in Janesville is slated for spring 2024, with the opening scheduled for one year later. The USA stands out as one of the nations actively promoting the development of sustainable food options through favorable regulations and receptiveness to innovative food technologies. Notably, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved cell-cultivated chicken meat in 2022 and affirmed the safety of using precision-fermented milk proteins in foods last year.

Adjacent to GEA's site for homogenizers, separators, pumps, and valves, which opened in December 2023, the new food experts will facilitate knowledge sharing across disciplines. This initiative represents GEA's second investment in a new food hub, streamlining innovations from the laboratory to commercial-scale manufacturing. Before this, GEA launched its technology center focusing on cell cultivation and fermentation in Hildesheim, Germany, in June 2023. As a leading technology provider in the food industry, GEA is at the forefront of the novel food movement, addressing challenges posed by megatrends such as climate change, food security, ethics, and healthy nutrition. Consequently, new food has been identified as one of the growth drivers in GEA's Mission 26 strategy. A dedicated business line is actively developing technologies.