Visitas: 87
Unibio International PLC, the leading sustainable protein company, has announced that the Saudi Industrial Investment Group (SIIG) has signed an agreement to invest approximately USD 70 million in the company. The proceeds will be deployed to enable Unibio’s vision of feeding the world’s growing population in a sustainable way. From the company reported that they will use the funds to roll-out new global production capacity, grow operating capabilities, and accelerate innovation and commercialization.
The investment in Unibio will be paid in two tranches: the first tranche of approximately USD 25 million is paid now with the second subject to applicable Foreign Direct Investment approvals. BofA Securities acted as placement agent to Unibio in connection with the transaction.
The production of Unibio’s protein for direct human consumption is under development.
“We are delighted to welcome SIIG as a significant investor in Unibio. Their investment will enable us to play a pivotal role in meeting our customers’ need for sustainable protein. Unibio’s technology will improve food security and speed up the process of feeding the world in a sustainable way. We are pleased that SIIG shares our ambition of providing food security for the world’s growing population and helping stop hunger (#SDG2) and we look forward to working together to make it happen,” said David Henstrom, CEO of Unibio.
Strongly aligned
For its part, Abdulrahman S. Alismail, CEO of the Saudi Industrial Investment Group, added: “We are extremely pleased to invest in Unibio and see it as strongly aligned with SIIG’s new strategy to diversify its investments, enter new sectors focused on sustainability and new technologies, and develop partnerships with international companies. Unibio’s focus aligns with Saudi Arabia’s commitment to increasing domestic protein production and supporting food security through innovation and technology. We are investing in Unibio for the long-term and believe that by doing so we will contribute to a more diverse and sustainable economy.”
The SIIG was established over 27 years ago, as one of the first privately owned petrochemical companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its main goal is to invest in industrial projects within the Kingdom and abroad.
This is achieved by utilizing its strategic partnerships from around the world, and the efficient use of the Kingdom’s natural resources. Even though SIIG’s main projects in the past have been focused on the petrochemical business, it is also looking into expanding its portfolio into other Industries.
Unique fermentation technology
According to Unibio, through industrial protein production based on the company’s unique fermentation technology – the U-Loop technology – it is possible to improve food security and feed the world’s growing population in a sustainable way without any use of arable land and with low water usage.
The fermentation technology mimics a process that occurs in nature every day and uses methane (eg natural gas or biogas) as feedstock. The production of Uniprotein is efficient, stable, and independent of weather deviations that impact the production of traditional protein sources.
Uniprotein is approved for feed in the European Union (UE) and global registrations are in progress. The protein provides nutrition on par with or better than other high-quality proteins, such as fishmeal, and has been tested successfully in various aqua and animal species.
Uniprotein is free from pesticides, fully traceable, and non-GMO. It has been launched commercially and Uniprotein is attracting significant global interest from feed compound companies and animal and fish farmers.
Leading sustainable protein company
Unibio, based in Roskilde, Denmark, is a leading sustainable protein company, that has developed a fermentation technology – the U-Loop – to produce Uniprotein, a high-quality protein. The technology which has been scaled up to an industrial scale and is being rolled out globally, uses methane, such as natural gas and biogas as feedstock.
It is Unibio’s mission to become the food of the future through the provision of secure and sustainable protein for farming and fishing feed.
Unibio’s technology is highly resource efficient and sustainable. The process replicates the same process that happens every day in nature. Unibio is headquartered in Roskilde near Copenhagen in Denmark, where it also has its Research & Development centre. Unibio’s Innovation Centre with a pilot and demo plant is located in Kalundborg west of Copenhagen.
