Unibio to open ‘world’s largest’ single-cell protein plant in Saudi Arabia

AL JUBAIL, SAUDI ARABIA — In a major development for the global alternative protein landscape and regional food security, the Saudi Industrial Investment Group (SIIG) and Denmark-based gas fermentation pioneer Unibio have finalized a joint venture agreement to construct the world’s largest single-cell protein (SCP) production facility.

The landmark SAR 1.4 Billion ($370 Million USD) project, structurally divided as an 80:20 equity split with SIIG acting as the majority investor, will be strategically located in the industrial megacity of Al Jubail in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.

The initiative successfully decouples food and feed production from traditional agricultural land and freshwater use. It converts the Kingdom’s abundant natural gas resources directly into a high-purity, traceable premium protein matrix to supply aquaculture and animal feed sectors across the Middle East and international markets.

Core Infrastructure & U-Loop Fermentation Technology

The Al Jubail mega-plant is designed to leverage Unibio’s patented vertical “U-Loop” bioreactor technology, a highly advanced continuous-flow gas fermentation system that mimics natural microbiological cycles

• The Production Timeline: Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) has concluded. Construction is slated to commence in the second half of 2026, with physical plant completion scheduled for the latter half of 2027. Following a comprehensive six-month clinical trial and regulatory validation run, commercial production is targeted for the first half of 2028

• Scaling Vectors: The facility is slated for an initial annual output capacity of 50,000 tonnes of Unibio’s flagship product, marketed under the brand Uniprotein®. Long-term strategic development pipelines contain plans to scale total output beyond 300,000 tonnes annually via modular factory expansions

Nutritional Blueprint of Uniprotein®

Uniprotein® is generated by growing non-GMO methanotrophic bacteria that naturally metabolize methane as their primary carbon and energy source. The resulting whole biomass is harvested, centrifuged, and dried into a highly uniform product with premium nutritional metrics:

• Nutritional Concentration: The final ingredient features an ultra-high protein density exceeding 70% dry matter. Its complete amino acid profile mirrors expensive, traditional fishmeal and premium soybean meal, exhibiting top-tier digestibility in targeted commercial animal cohorts

• Biosecurity Footprint: The formulation is fully traceable, non-GMO, and entirely free from external contaminants, including pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals. This ensures a uniform product quality with an extended shelf-life

• Environmental Profile: Uniprotein® operates as a completely deforestation-free and land-conversion-free asset class. Utilizing natural gas for protein creation uses three times less carbon-per-tonne expense compared to using glucose or dextrose substrates

Strategic Alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 and Aquaculture Ecosystems

The realization of the Al Jubail complex functions as a dual macroeconomic shield for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region:

• Insulating Food Security Platforms: The Middle East has historically maintained a heavy dependency on imported animal and aquaculture feed bases, leaving supply lines exposed to geopolitical volatility. The new facility provides a year-round, domestic supply of high-purity protein ingredients to insulate local supply loops

• Aquaculture Expansion Catalyst: Uniprotein® has secured formal regulatory approval from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) for immediate inclusion across commercial aquaculture feeds, alongside existing authorization for general feed use throughout the European Union (EU). The plant’s output will directly feed Saudi Arabia’s expanding domestic shrimp and marine fish farming operations

• Vision 2030 Capital Diversification: For SIIG, the SAR 1.4 billion investment represents an intentional transition toward sustainable life sciences. By turning methane into feed, Saudi Arabia aims to establish itself as a global leader in industrial biofermentation, advancing its economic diversification priorities

SIIG & Unibio Joint Venture

AHI Opinion

The SIIG-Unibio joint venture marks a profound evolutionary leap for global agritech. By establishing a massive biofermentation hub in the desert, Saudi Arabia is proving that food production can be entirely decoupled from arable land availability. As the plant transitions toward its 300,000-tonne long-term output target, the project will serve as a global model for alternative protein production, transforming natural gas into a sustainable solution for global food security.