NoPalm Ingredients and contract research company NIZO Food Research are establishing NoPalm Ingredients’ first Demonstration Factory at the Food Innovation Campus at NIZO in Ede.
Here, NoPalm Ingredients will for the first time run its process for sustainable palm oil alternatives entirely at one location. This contract marks the transition from pilot to commercial-scale production.
“The step towards our first factory is a concrete milestone in our ambition to become a leader in yeast oil production,” said CEO and founder Lars Langhout. “From a shaking flask and a microscope in the lab, we are now building our own factory: dreams are becoming reality. As pioneers, we are showing the industry that yeast oils no longer only exist in the lab, but can also be produced at large scale, and that we are a reliable partner for sustainable oil alternatives.”
Until now, process steps took place at multiple locations, but soon everything will happen under one roof. This saves time, reduces costs, and accelerates scaling. The factory will start with several hundred tons per year and grow to more than 1,200 tons. This enables customers to replace conventional oils and make their products more sustainable, while the site also provides space for testing new raw materials and process improvements.
Since 2023, NIZO has been developing the Food Innovation Campus in Ede, where companies in the protein and food transition come together to share knowledge and accelerate scaling.
“The arrival of NoPalm Ingredients fits perfectly with our ambition to further develop the NIZO Food Innovation Campus into the place for sustainable food innovation,” said Nikolaas Vles, CEO of NIZO Food Research. “They strengthen the fermentation cluster in the region and apply fermentation to fats – an often overlooked but essential part of both the protein and food transition.”
By using NIZO’s existing infrastructure, NoPalm Ingredients can start construction of its factory more quickly. The first industrial production of yeast oil is expected in the second half of 2026, followed by further scaling in 2027 and 2028. The factory will employ 25 people, in addition to the 25 at the headquarters in Wageningen.