Original Finnish press release was published 16.12.2025 klo 9.32 in lappeenranta.fi
Solar Foods has selected a site in Selkäharju, Lappeenranta, as the location for its future Factory 02 production facility. The plant is planned to produce Solein®, a responsible microbial protein that is produced independently of soil, air, and climate conditions.
This will be the company’s first industrial-scale production facility, increasing Solein’s annual production capacity from 160 tonnes at Factory 01, which began operations in spring 2024, to 6,400 tonnes. Solar Foods plans to make the final investment decision regarding the construction of Factory 02 in 2026.
The Mayor of Lappeenranta, Tuomo Sallinen, welcomes the location decision and notes that it represents an important milestone for the vitality and growth of both Lappeenranta and the wider South Karelia region.
- A potential production facility will bring industrial jobs based on new technology, and the construction phase of the project is also expected to generate employment opportunities across various sectors in South Karelia.
According to Sallinen, the project’s indirect impacts and future opportunities are also highly significant.
- The location decision is also psychologically encouraging for our region, as it shows that eastern Finland still has the potential to succeed in high-technology industries and to create growth.
Solar Foods assessed potential locations for its future Factory 02 production facility both in Finland and internationally. According to Solar Foods’ Chief Operating Officer, Tiia Kuusimäki, the company had several excellent location options.
- We chose the Lappeenranta site because, at this stage, it offers Solar Foods the best overall conditions to move forward with the planning and construction of the production facility in line with our plans.
Based on its assessment, the company concluded that the Selkäharju site offers exceptional electricity supply capacity as well as opportunities to integrate with the city’s district heating network.
The location decision was also influenced by factors including the price of renewable energy and the reliability of infrastructure, water and wastewater systems, the buildability of the site, permitting processes, opportunities to build an ecosystem with strategic partners and other stakeholders, the availability of key expertise and workforce, and financing opportunities for the investment.
- Extensive preparatory work was carried out in Lappeenranta to support the decision, and we presented Solar Foods with several options that were reviewed together. Cooperation took place across different municipal departments and with Lappeenranta Energy.
- I believe that a key factor behind the company’s decision was the city’s strong and determined overall approach,” Sallinen says.
The construction of the Factory 02 production facility is planned to be carried out in phases. The first phase will have a design capacity of 3.2 kilotonnes per year and is intended to be completed by the end of 2028. Following this, the facility is planned to be expanded in a second phase to a design capacity of 6.4 kilotonnes per year.
The Selkäharju site also enables the potential implementation of a third phase, which would increase annual capacity to 12.8 kilotonnes.
Further information:
Tuomo Sallinen
Mayor, City of Lappeenranta
Tel. +358 40 624 1422
tuomo.sallinen@lappeenranta.fi
Tiia Kuusimäki
Chief Operating Officer, Solar Foods
Tel. +358 10 579 3284
tiia.kuusimaki@solarfoods.com