Volare scales insect protein production in Finnish facility
Volare has completed a €15 million industrial-scale insect protein factory in Pori, Finland, with annual capacity for 5,000 tons of protein and 2,000 tons of oil. The facility uses food industry side streams and operates with minimal staff and energy, backed by offtake agreements with major buyers.
Volare has completed its first industrial-scale insect protein facility in Pori, Finland. The factory, built inside a repurposed newspaper printing plant, represents a 1,000-fold scale-up from the company's demonstration unit and was delivered on schedule within its €15 million capital expenditure budget. It has a target annual capacity of 5,000 tons of insect protein and 2,000 tons of insect oil.
Sustainable Production Model
The facility operates as a fully electric, non-fossil plant with just four personnel per shift. It produces no process wastewater. The factory uses locally sourced food-industry side streams to feed black soldier fly larvae, converting this low-value material into high-value products.
Volare’s model requires significantly lower investment and operational inputs than many competitors. The company states its factory needs 4 to 10 times lower capital expenditure, around 50% fewer full-time staff, and 30% less energy in end-product processing compared to other insect-based producers. A company executive noted they use about 50% less energy for hygienizing frass, a by-product, and have developed a dry process for protein meal that cuts energy use by roughly 30%.
Commercial Validation and Demand
Volare’s protein has been sold commercially since 2022. Its meal delivers over 90% digestibility and is used in multiple applications. These include dog treats, cat food, rainbow trout feed, and organic poultry feed.
Substantial production capacity is already committed. The company has secured offtake agreements with Skretting, a major aquafeed producer, and a leading global chemical company. Jarna Hyvönen, CEO and Co-founder of Volare, stated security of supply is a significant factor for aquafeed customers. She also noted that European pet food producers are interested provided ingredients are high quality and supply is secure.
Current European Union regulations block the use of post-consumer food waste and certain animal by-products as feed for insects. Hyvönen addressed this, saying, "Over time, we see that the rules can be loosened… however, our business model is not based on this change." The company's use of pre-consumer food industry side streams allows it to operate within existing rules.
Strategic Funding and Scalability
Volare recently raised €7.1 million in new funding through Springvest. Investors included Maki.vc. This capital will support the development of a second industrial-scale facility and replication of the model in Europe.
The company, founded in 2021, scaled technology from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland to an industrial level in five years. Hyvönen emphasized that insect agriculture is closer to scaling than other novel protein solutions. She argued firms should avoid reinventing the wheel and focus on efficiency rather than excessive technology. Cost reduction is achieved through smart choices in power supply, labor, and wastewater management.
The Pori facility proves the technology works at an industrial scale and enables cost-effective production. This operational model, prioritizing efficiency and using existing industrial infrastructure, forms the foundation for Volare's planned European expansion.
