SylFeed: The European Project Behind SylPlant’s Innovation

Did you know that the SylPlant project, a key player in sustainable food production, owes its origins to a European project?

SylPlant is built on the success of SYLFEED, a four-year initiative funded by the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU), a predecessor of CBE JU. This project allowed Arbiom to successfully scale up its innovative technology and validate the performance of its flagship ingredient, SylPro®.

 

The SYLFEED Project: A Collaborative Foundation

Launched in 2017, the SYLFEED project brought together 10 leading organizations from across Europe. Supported by the European Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the Horizon 2020 program, this ambitious partnership was spearheaded by Arbiom, with the aim of transforming underutilized bio-based feedstocks, such as wood waste, into valuable applications. The project’s primary achievement was the creation of SylPro, a protein-rich ingredient designed for use in animal and aqua feed.

The SYLFEED partnership involved key players from every stage of the value chain. This collaboration included companies and research institutions such as Norske Skog Golbey for biomass sourcing, Prayon, Rise Processum, Bioprocess Pilot Facility, and Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant for biomass fractionation and conversion, as well as Laxá, Matís, and Skretting for fish feed formulation and manufacturing.

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted by NORSUS demonstrated that SylPro offered an environmentally sustainable alternative to other protein sources. This assessment highlighted the potential of Arbiom’s Wood to Food process to reduce Europe’s reliance on traditional protein sources and contribute to closing the protein gap sustainably.

 

Bridging the Protein Gap with Innovative Bioprocessing

The success of SYLFEED is rooted in Arbiom’s groundbreaking technology, which offers a novel solution to Europe’s growing protein demand. By transforming abundant, undervalued biomass, like wood residues, into high-quality, scalable, and traceable protein, Arbiom’s Wood to Food platform stands out as a sustainable option for the future of food production.

Charles-Henri Nicolas, VP Demo Program for Arbiom, emphasized the collaborative effort behind this breakthrough:

“The project’s success is a testament to the collaboration and diverse expertise contributed by our partners in the SYLFEED project. Leaders from across the ‘Wood to Food’ value chain came together with a common vision and commitment to success.”

The SylPro protein offers a sustainable and local solution to the increasing demand for protein, without depleting natural resources or harming ecosystems. This innovation also opens doors for the food and feed industries to source more ethical and environmentally friendly ingredients.

 

A Vision for Sustainable Food Systems

Marc Chevrel, former CEO of Arbiom, highlighted the broader impact of the project, stating:

“We believe the Wood to Food technology platform represents a game-changing solution to expand food production potential without harming ecosystems or consuming more limited resources. By bringing wood and other undervalued biomass into the food chain, we are addressing sustainability challenges in Europe.”

The collaborative efforts of SYLFEED partners have laid the groundwork for further innovations, like SylPlant, which continue to push the boundaries of biobased solutions for nutrition and sustainability.

As Pilar Llorente Ruiz De Azua, Project Officer for BBI JU, noted:

“We applaud the work and achievements of the SYLFEED Project partners, and their contributions to a healthy, sustainable future food system in Europe, and worldwide.”

 

Scaling Up Innovation: How Sylfeed Laid the Foundation for the SylPlant Project

Building on the success of the Sylfeed project, SylPlant continues to break new ground in sustainable food and feed production. This ambitious European collaborative project brings together 17 partners from across the entire food and feed value chain, including feedstock manufacturers, processors, and retailers. Co-funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU)—a public-private partnership between the European Commission and the Bio-based Industries Consortium—SylPlant is poised to revolutionize protein production on a larger scale.

Marc Chevrel, CEO of Arbiom, highlighted the scale and impact of SylPlant’s next phase:

“This factory paves the way for Arbiom’s industrial deployment. It will bring 10,000 tons/year of alternative, highly nutritional, and sustainable protein to the market to address future food needs.”

Over the next three years, the SylPlant consortium will focus on several key objectives:

  1. Constructing and Operating Arbiom’s First Plant
    The project’s centerpiece will be Arbiom’s first commercial-scale plant in France, capable of producing 10,000 tons per year of SylPro®, a sustainable, protein-rich ingredient.
  2. Validating SylPro® for Feed Applications
    The consortium will work to validate the use of SylPro® in various feed applications, including aquafeed and pet food. In addition, they will gather consumer insights to ensure that the product meets market expectations.
  3. Developing the Next Generation of Foods
    SylPlant will also explore new horizons by developing innovative food products, such as cheese and meat analogs, as well as specialized nutrition solutions, all made with Arbiom’s SylPro® ingredient.

By scaling up production and diversifying the applications of SylPro®, SylPlant is set to play a key role in addressing Europe’s growing demand for sustainable, alternative protein sources. This initiative not only aligns with global food sustainability goals but also demonstrates the power of European collaboration in driving bio-based innovations forward.

With 10,000 tons/year of sustainable protein set to enter the market, SylPlant is positioned to transform the future of food and feed systems in Europe and beyond.