Finnish food technology company Onego Bio is specifically targeting the Midwest to ramp up production of its flagship animal-free egg protein because of the region’s proximity to countless food manufacturing giants and its strong manufacturing workforce, according to representatives from the company. Onego Bio is considering a 25.9-acre parcel of land, located at the Jefferson
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Onego Bio's Bioalbumen powder.[/caption]
Onego Bio makes Bioalbumen, an animal-free egg protein that provides the same nutritional and functional benefits of egg whites, but without the environmental, ethical, safety and supply chain concerns.
The company was awarded a $2 million Department of Defense grant to plan a facility to produce ovalbumin at a site somewhere in the Midwest.
The grant was awarded through the Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program, which aims to help expand the country’s biomanufacturing capacity and bring stability to the supply chain.
Several companies received funding to produce business and technical plans that detail the construction of a domestic bioindustrial manufacturing production facility.
Projects that earned an initial grant can receive follow-on awards that would provide up to $100 million to build a U.S.-based bioindustrial manufacturing facility.
"We are thrilled to receive this funding from the DoD which will aid in the build-out of our U.S.-based manufacturing facility," the company's statement said.
Onego Bio recently opened a United States headquarters in San Diego, which is not a production facility.
Jefferson County has already secured another international tenant, Tokyo-based Kikkoman Corp., as the flagship tenant for its FaB Innovation Campus. Kikkoman leadership 
This map shows plans for Jefferson County's new Food and Beverage Innovation Campus. (submitted)[/caption]