Solar Foods

Solar Foods is a Finnish food technology company focused on changing how protein is produced. Its core ingredient, Solein®, is a novel protein made through gas fermentation using carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and renewable electricity rather than traditional agriculture. The company serves food brands, ingredient buyers, and innovators looking for sustainable, functional protein solutions. Solar Foods positions itself as a global leader in sustainable protein production, with an emphasis on scalability, stable supply, and reduced dependence on land, weather, and climate conditions. Solar Foods was founded in 2017 and is listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland. It has moved from research and pilot development into commercialisation, with Factory 01 operating in Finland and Factory 02 in development. Core Values Sustainability : Solar Foods frames its mission around reducing the climate, land, water, and biodiversity burden of food production. Solein is presented as a protein that can be produced with far fewer natural resources than conventional agriculture. Innovation : The company is built on gas fermentation and a scientific discovery that turns air and electricity into edible calories. It emphasizes a fundamentally new production model rather than incremental improvement to existing farming systems. Nutrition : Solein is positioned as a nutritious ingredient with all nine essential amino acids, plus iron, vitamin B12, fibre, and minerals. Solar Foods highlights that it can deliver protein without compromising on nutritional quality. Scalability and reliability : The company stresses year-round production, predictable output, and the ability to produce anywhere in the world. This supports its promise of a stable protein supply with consistent quality. Unique Aspects Air-based protein platform : Solein is produced from carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and renewable electricity, making it independent of land use and traditional farming inputs. This is the company’s defining technological differentiator. Commercial-scale factory already operating : Factory 01 began operations in Vantaa, Finland in 2024 and serves as Solar Foods’ first commercial-scale production facility. It gives the company a real-world platform for scaling and commercial validation. Strategic partner ecosystem : Solar Foods says it works with partners across raw materials, technology, and commercialisation, and its news flow shows named collaborations such as GEA for Factory 02 process equipment and Fortum for energy services. This partner-led approach is central to its scale-up strategy. Regulatory and market milestones : Solein received novel food approval in Singapore in 2022 and self-affirmed GRAS status in the United States in 2024, enabling commercial activity in those markets. The company has also said it expects EU novel food approval during 2026. Space and resilience applications : Beyond Earth-focused food production, Solar Foods is developing Solein for space, disaster-response, and other constrained environments. It has also been selected as an international category winner in NASA and CSA’s Deep Space Food Challenge.