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
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 County Food and Beverage Innovation Campus in the City of Jefferson, for the site of a new manufacturing facility.
The Jefferson County Board approved a purchase and sale agreement for the land Tuesday night. Onego Bio will initially spend $777,000 on the land.
The purchase and sale agreement provides a 12-month due diligence period with up to two consecutive extensions of up to six months.
In the coming months, Onego Bio will be conducting a more extensive site evaluation.
"Onego Bio’s purpose is to advance sustainable solutions for the future of food. As we continue our mission to serve the world the perfect protein, we are focused on building world-class infrastructure that creates unmatched value for our customers and the marketplace," said the company in a statement provided to BizTimes. "We are excited at the potential of expanding our footprint into the Midwest as the region offers logistical advantages, is close to our customer base, and provides direct access to the critical feedstock that supports our biomanufacturing."
[caption id="attachment_603013" align="alignleft" width="300"] 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 previously told BizTimes Media the area’s natural resources and strategic location were key factors in the company deciding to spend $560 million to expand in the city of Jefferson.
[caption id="attachment_589200" align="aligncenter" width="1252"] This map shows plans for Jefferson County's new Food and Beverage Innovation Campus. (submitted)[/caption]
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