Fast tracked commercialisation process and CFG now uniquely positioned to address US$20 billion market
LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Clean Food Group, a leading UK food tech business pioneering the manufacture of sustainable oils and fats through fermentation, today announces that it has acquired the assets of Algal Omega 3 Ltd (in administration) (‘AO3’).
This transformational acquisition provides CFG with immediate access to one million litres of fermentation capacity, positioning the Group as the world’s largest manufacturer of yeast fermentation-derived sustainable oils and fats. The 12-acre site in Knowsley, Liverpool city region, already recognised as a centre of biotech excellence, includes extensive R&D facilities and significant opportunity for future expansion.
CFG has already validated commercial-scale production at the facility, manufacturing two tons of oil in a recent fermentation run. This milestone materially de-risks the acquisition, demonstrating the robustness of CFG’s proprietary technology platform, and proving its ability to scale in existing manufacturing facilities without costly new-build infrastructure.
With this acquisition, CFG is uniquely positioned to produce microbial oils at commercial scale, significantly reducing the capex required to supply sustainable oils and fats at competitive price points to agricultural equivalents across food, cosmetics and pet food markets. CFG announced last week that it had received regulatory approval for its CLEAN Oil™ 25 product to be used as a cosmetic ingredient in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States.
Food manufacturing veteran Bill Thurston, former Managing Director of Dawn Foods, CSM Bakery and CFG NED, has been appointed Managing Director of the Knowsley facility. Bill has extensive oils and fats experience, having led the acquisition of Unilever’s edible oils and fats business as CEO of CSM, and served as MD of Arkady CraigMillar. Bill will lead a senior manufacturing team on-site to oversee operations and integration with immediate effect.
Alex Neves, CEO of CFG, said: “With this acquisition, we have fast-tracked our route to market, leapfrogging the traditional, capital-intensive path from pilot to demo to new build commercial plant, which can take years and cost upwards of US$100 million. With commercial-scale validation already established at our new Knowsley facility, Clean Food Group is ready to capitalise on the US$20 billion market opportunity ahead, and to advance its planned Series A funding round, now expected for H1 2026.
“This is not just the opening of a fermentation plant, it is the dawn of a new era in UK biotechnology, one that places the Liverpool city region at the beating heart of the new Bio-Industrial Revolution.”
Bill Thurston, Managing Director, added: “I am very pleased to be joining the executive management team of Clean Food Group at such a transformational time for the business. With my 30 years of experience in commercial and food manufacturing, I look forward to rapidly establishing this site as a global leader in sustainable alternatives to tropical oils.”
Knowsley Council welcomed CFG’s investment, commenting: “Clean Food Group’s decision to establish their new biotech manufacturing facility here is testament to the strength of our local skills base and the supportive business environment we have built. This acquisition will not only create high-value jobs but also positions our area at the forefront of biotech innovation in the UK.” Cllr Tony Brennan, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development.
Notes to Editors:
About Clean Food Group
CFG is a leading UK food tech manufacturer of sustainable oils and fats for the global food, cosmetic and pet food industries. Through its proprietary CLEAN OilCell™ technology platform, CFG delivers functional oils (CLEAN Oil™) and fats (CLEAN Fat™) at price parity to agriculture alternatives, whilst meeting the growing need for local and sustainable production.
Founded in 2022 after eight years of pioneering research, CFG manufactures its oils and fats from food waste, leveraging scalable yeast strains and fermentation technology to deliver sustainable alternatives to traditional oil and fat ingredients. With the manufacturing process now validated at scale, CFG has strategic and industrial collaborations in place with leading global FMCG and ingredients manufacturers and has a strong demand pipeline for its products.
CFG has a vastly experienced management team with a successful track record in scaling businesses in high growth regulated industries. For more information on CFG, please visit cleanfood.group.
Contacts
FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES:
Clean Food Group
Alex Neves, Chief Executive Officer
Tom Ellen, Chief Financial Officer
Hannah Du Beke, Chief Marketing Officer
Via Burson Buchanan
Burson Buchanan
Henry Harrison-Topham / Jamie Hooper / Abby Gilchrist
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000
[email protected]
www.bursonbuchanan.com
