Finnish company Volare has launched its first industrial-scale insect protein factory, Volare 01, located in Pori. The 10,000-square-metre facility was completed on schedule and within a capital expenditure budget of €15 million. It is designed to produce up to 5,000 tonnes of insect protein and 2,000 tonnes of insect oil annually using food-industry side streams.
The company secured €7.1 million in new funding through Springvest, with participation from Maki.vc and other investors. These funds are intended to support the ramp-up of the new facility and prepare for future expansion. Volare has already secured offtake agreements for a significant portion of its production capacity, including partnerships with Skretting and a global chemical company.
Volare’s production model utilizes black soldier flies and operates entirely on electricity. The company reports that its process requires four to ten times less capital expenditure, 50 percent fewer employees, and 30 percent less energy compared to competitors. The factory is designed to be operated by four people per shift, leveraging automation and a dry-processing method.
Founded in 2021, Volare spent four years validating its technology at a demonstration plant before scaling to the new industrial site. The company’s products, which include protein meal with over 90 percent digestibility, have been used commercially in pet food, aquafeed, and poultry feed since 2022. The firm aims to address the supply gap for alternative proteins as traditional fishmeal production plateaus.
