As @Alamaki linked above, Ajinomoto is launching iced coffee containing Solein.
New products for the Singapore market alone do not move the needle for Solar Foods, but Solein-based product launches show that Ajinomoto is still interested in Solein. Considering the 02 factory investment and its financing, signs of the company’s largest public partner’s commitment to Solein are valuable. Of course, the news also demonstrates Solein’s versatile applications. From the perspective of Solar Foods’ investment story, it’s a shame that food industry giants do not allocate capital to partners as generously as Nvidia.
Current status: During my visit to Solar Foods first factory, I was informed the main production has been deliberately shut down. Production is continuing only on a smaller scale. The decision appears to be driven by high inventory levels. Not sure if bigger factory is helping here…
I forgot to post earlier, but in the summer I got to taste a Solein protein bar. I liked it myself and it tasted just like a protein bar – except it didn’t have that somewhat unpleasant aftertaste typical of a regular protein bar. I’m not a big consumer of protein bars, but my own assessment of the taste was that in this category, it would be a perfectly comparable product to others.
Here are Thomas’s comments regarding this latest bar news.
Solar Foods’ collaboration with Fermenta is a step towards strengthening Solein’s awareness and creating a market in the United States. In our opinion, the news is a step in the right direction on Solein’s commercialization path, but due to the small size of the partner, we do not expect the collaboration to have a significant direct impact on Solar Foods’ figures.
Solar Foods adds new initiatives to the US market. This time, protein products with Pothos. Presumably, the direct impact of the cooperation will remain limited, similar to Fermenta, but these are necessary steps to increase Solein’s awareness in Solar Foods’ spearhead market.
Most likely, the sales dip caused by Springvest’s in-kind dividend has recovered. This bounce then perhaps caused speculation that the big players have an inkling that something is happening.
Anyway, news is coming soon, as the plans for the Lappeenranta factory have been promised to be published before Christmas. This, however, was already known before these movements.
Here are Rauli’s comments regarding Solar Foods’ recent announcement.
Solar Foods announced on Tuesday that it has chosen Lappeenranta as the location for its upcoming industrial-scale Factory 02 production facility. Factory 02 is the company’s first large-scale facility, which will increase production capacity from the current 160 tons to 6,400 tons per year. The news brings much-needed concreteness to the factory project, but we considered it an expected step and it does not cause immediate changes to our forecasts.
Here are Thomas’s comments regarding the recent release.
The companies will bring a protein powder made from Solein to the market in the first quarter of 2026. The news is in line with the company’s commercialization strategy, but we do not expect a single batch to have a material impact on our forecasts.
Here are Thomas’s comments on how Solar Foods succeeded in its directed share issue.
Solar Foods announced on Thursday that it has successfully completed a directed share issue, through which the company raised gross proceeds of approximately EUR 25 million. The issue was carried out through an accelerated bookbuild process, and in addition to institutional investors, the company’s strategic partner GEA Finland Oy participated. The funds raised will be used to secure financing for the industrial-scale Factory 02 production facility. Securing this financing is a critical step in the company’s growth strategy, as it addresses the company’s immediate financing needs, demonstrates that equity financing is available, and signals confidence from GEA and institutional investors in the industrial-scale Factory 02 plant.
I wonder if there has been any new information from the company regarding that iron problem? Or has it been discussed anywhere since late summer/autumn 2024? I sold my stake because of it and at the time decided to wait and see if Solar Foods could somehow resolve it.
I guess you didn’t try very hard? Scroll up this discussion to September 2024, and you’ll be able to read about it. There was a lot of discussion about it here, on Nordnet, in Solar Foods’ CMD, on Karo’s Grill, etc. Thomas also likely interviewed the CEO on the topic.
The problem doesn’t go away by stoning those who speak about it. And there are more people talking about it than just me, if you were referring to me in your comment.
edit. Oh, and it’s not a matter of opinion, but a purely scientific fact.
OK, I’ve been relying too much on AI. It considered the iron content a strength and claimed Solar Foods viewed this as a positive feature. I’m aware of the Inderes discussions; I’m mainly looking for discussions by actual professionals on the matter.
And there are more people talking about it than just me, if you were referring to me in your comment.