On behalf of Aker BioMarine, GEA is to design and deliver the world’s first pilot plant for hydrolyzing krill protein. This represents an important step for GEA in the strategic growth area of New Food. The partners signed the engineering, procurement and construction contract valued in the double-digit million euro range in July 2021.
With its new pilot plant Aker BioMarine will manufacture INVI, a sustainably sourced krill protein hydrolysate that was recently classified as food safe. Image: Aker BioMarine
The client is a biotechnology company based in Norway that fishes for Antarctic krill – tiny shrimp-like crustaceans – and uses them to develop ingredients for functional foods, aquaculture and animal feed. Slated to come online in late 2022, the new pilot plant will produce a highly concentrated protein isolate destined for food and beverages. The pilot plant now ordered is the next step in commercializing krill human protein powder. It will expand the current small-scale process to a scalable, industrial production level with a capacity of 120 tons per year.
"Thanks to innovative companies such as Aker BioMarine, the topic of New Food is currently developing into an increasingly important future market, which is also of strategic importance for GEA. This is unlocking entirely new sources of human nutrition and health. We are pleased to join Aker BioMarine on their journey into researching and commercializing krill protein - and to do so in a way that is absolutely climate and environmentally friendly," says Ilija Aprcovic, CEO of the Liquid & Powder Technologies Division of GEA Group AG.
As a pioneer in sustainable marine ingredients, Aker BioMarine believes it has a responsibility to improve human health through product innovation and sustainable harvesting technology without compromising the health of our planet and its marine ecosystems. To this end, the company intends to decarbonize both its krill fisheries and production. Aker BioMarine’s decision to cooperate with GEA was motivated in part by the systems supplier’s consistent pursuit of sustainability together with the reduced carbon footprint its process technology offers. GEA will engineer the pilot plant for krill protein with a view to sustainability.
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About GEA
GEA is one of the world’s largest suppliers of systems and components to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries.
The international technology group, founded in 1881, focuses on machinery and plants, as well as advanced process technology, components and comprehensive services. For instance, every second pharma separator for essential healthcare products such as vaccines or novel biopharmaceuticals is produced by GEA. In food, every fourth package of pasta or every third chicken nugget are processed with GEA technology.
With more than 18,000 employees, the group generated sales of about EUR 5.5 billion in more than 150 countries in the 2025 fiscal year. GEA plants, processes, components and services enhance the efficiency and sustainability of customers’ production. They contribute significantly to the reduction of CO2 emissions, plastic usage and food waste. In doing so, GEA makes a key contribution toward a sustainable future, in line with the company’s purpose: ”Engineering for a better world.”
GEA is listed on the German DAX, the European STOXX® Europe 600 Index and is also a constituent of the leading sustainability indices DAX 50 ESG, MSCI Global Sustainability and Dow Jones Best-in-Class World.
