Unibio and Saudi Industrial Development Group to build world's largest single-cell protein plant in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Industrial Development Group (SIIG) and Danish gas fermentation firm Unibio are establishing the world's largest single-cell protein plant in Saudi Arabia, a significant move to leverage the region's abundant natural gas for domestic feed production. Announced on 2026-03-16, the project will initially produce 50,000 tons of protein annually, with ambitious plans to scale capacity to over 300,000 tons in subsequent years. SIIG commits 80% of the equity for this venture, underscoring its financial leadership, while Unibio provides the remaining 20%. Additional bank financing will fund the project, which targets construction commencement in the second half of 2026 and commercialization by 2028. This partnership positions SIIG, a petrochemical giant, as a major investor in novel agricultural technology within Saudi Arabia, directly supporting the nation's goal to reduce animal feed imports. Unibio, as the technology provider, brings its gas fermentation expertise to a project of unprecedented scale in the single-cell protein sector. A joint venture team has already been appointed to manage the final engineering, procurement, construction, and startup phases of the facility. The substantial planned expansion to over 300,000 tons demonstrates a long-term commitment to establishing a robust domestic protein supply chain in Saudi Arabia.