Millow to build US$18.9M protein facility
The Swedish company received EU funding to set up large-scale fermentation plant. The new site will produce binder-free, oat-based protein using mycelium.
SWEDEN – Swedish food-tech company Millow is setting up its first industrial-scale fermentation facility to manufacture a protein alternative made from oats and mycelium.
The Gothenburg-based firm is funding the project through a grant of US$2.7 million (approx.) from the European Innovation Council, which is part of a wider financial support package valued at US$18.9 million (approx.).
The new factory, measuring 2,500 square metres and previously used for Lego production, is located in Sweden and is expected to be fully equipped later in 2025.
Once operational, each line in the facility will be able to produce up to 500 kilograms of protein daily, as the company scales up its proprietary dry-state fermentation technology.
Alongside production, the site includes a research lab dedicated to fermentation and food development, focusing on advancing Millow’s work in fungal proteins.
Millow’s product consists only of oats and mycelium and is made without binders or additives, using a patented fermentation process that does not involve liquid-based growth methods.
Each 100-gram portion of the protein is said to deliver up to 27 grams of complete protein, as well as dietary fibre and naturally occurring nutrients.
The company claims its product mimics the searing properties of beef, has no lingering taste, and is easier to digest, while also avoiding soy and pea protein isolates.
Millow chairperson Staffan Hillberg stated that the new factory aims to address previous criticisms of plant-based meats, particularly around flavour and ingredient transparency.
According to the company’s scientific founder, Mohammad Taherzadeh, the fermentation process is designed to be flexible, enabling the use of different grains depending on regional availability.
Energy-saving bioreactors cut resource use
As part of its environmental goals, Millow has integrated bioreactors known as S-Units, which the company says reduce energy usage to a third of conventional fermentation systems.
Water consumption is also lower, requiring only 3 to 4 litres per kilogram of product, which the company claims is about 95% less than typical methods for producing mycelium-based proteins.
Millow is currently negotiating distribution agreements with retail chains, foodservice suppliers, and branded food companies in preparation for a product launch expected before the end of 2025.
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