Key Takeaways
- GEA opened a $20 million Food Application and Technology Center in Janesville, Wisconsin, focused on alternative proteins and sustainable food solutions.
- The facility enhances production capabilities for novel foods while creating skilled job opportunities in the region.
- Powered entirely by renewable energy, it highlights Wisconsin’s emerging role in food innovation and sustainability.
New Food Application and Technology Center Opens in Janesville
GEA has launched its second Food Application and Technology Center (ATC) in Janesville, Wisconsin, on July 17, following its first center in Hildesheim, Germany, in 2023. This $20 million facility is dedicated to innovative alternative proteins and sustainable food solutions, aiming to replace traditional food sources such as meat, dairy, seafood, and eggs.
The Janesville ATC is designed to bridge research and industrial-scale production, featuring advanced process technologies essential for producing various proteins. Equipped with pilot-scale bioreactors for precision fermentation and cell cultivation, the facility aligns production processes with industrial standards. Additional technologies, such as thermal processing, aseptic filling, membrane filtration, spray drying, and centrifugation, ensure product safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, comprehensive lab capabilities facilitate various forms of testing, including microbiological and analytical evaluations.
According to GEA Group CEO Stefan Klebert, the food industry is at a pivotal moment, calling for practical solutions to meet future food demands sustainably. The Janesville center represents a significant investment in scaling the production of novel foods, which includes products like precision-fermented egg whites and cultivated seafood. This initiative will also reinforce GEA’s presence in North America, where it employs 1,600 staff across 16 locations.
The ATC’s establishment has promised an array of skilled jobs, including engineering and scientific roles, complementing GEA’s existing workforce in Janesville, which includes 74 employees at its Separation & Flow Technologies facility. During construction, the project supported approximately 500 contractor and subcontractor jobs.
Janesville’s economic development director, Jimsi Kuborn, noted that the new facility represents a fusion of the city’s agricultural and industrial heritage with innovative practices, opening up new avenues for community partnerships, workforce development, and sustainable growth.
Experts have also emphasized the importance of the center in fostering innovations that merge agriculture with advanced technologies. Jessica Almy, interim CEO of The Good Food Institute, pointed out that the facility plays a crucial role in enhancing food security while addressing climate challenges, further establishing the American Midwest as a leader in food innovation.
The ATC launches at a moment when the U.S. is a frontrunner in alternative protein investments, positioning Wisconsin as a key player in the evolving landscape of food technology. The center operates entirely on renewable energy, utilizing a solar park that generates surplus electricity, reinforcing its mission to scale alternative proteins sustainably and foster collaboration among startups, the food industry, academia, and investors.
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