Scaling Up Alginate and Fucoidan Production to Meet Customer Demand
Origin by Ocean has launched its demo production facility in Otaniemi, Finland, marking a crucial step toward commercial-scale manufacturing of alginate and fucoidan. This facility is designed to validate production processes, fulfill existing customer needs, support off-take agreements, and supply high-quality, food-grade samples to support the development of next-generation, ocean-derived ingredients.
The demo production will operate on Sargassum, an invasive brown algae species that has grown out of control in the Caribbean Sea. The biomass is sourced from Puntacana, Dominican Republic, through partnerships with local governments and entrepreneurs, in line with Origin by Ocean’s mission to turn ocean overgrowth into valuable ingredients.
"This new facility is a major milestone for our entire team," said Annukka Tarvainen, Technology and Investment Director at Origin by Ocean. "It bridges the gap between lab-scale innovation and industrial production, allowing us to deliver high-quality ingredients to our customers while refining our process for full-scale commercialization. This achievement is the result of relentless dedication from our experts across multiple disciplines."
Laying the foundation for future milestones
Origin by Ocean’s dedicated team of experts, led by Annukka Tarvainen, will operate the Otaniemi demo production. The transition to demo-scale production has been an intensive process, requiring collaboration across teams. Securing specialized equipment, transferring assets, developing standard operating procedures, and extensive training efforts have all been key to ensuring a smooth launch.
"Safety has been at the core of every step," emphasized Antti Koponen, Lead Chemical Engineer at Origin by Ocean. "From facility setup to process implementation, our team has undergone extensive training to ensure a safe and efficient production environment."
