Start your journey in alternative protein production
From idea to impact, our solutions for food start-ups
At Alfa Laval, we are with you every step of the way. Whether you are working with plant-based or fermented proteins, cultivated meat or other innovations in the food industry, we are here to help. With our extensive experience in food production technology, and our restless drive for research and innovation, we are the perfect partner for pioneering new food ideas. From initial consultation to ongoing support, our team is always ready to assist, making the process smooth and stress-free.
- Testing and proof of concept
- Our product offering
- Customer stories
- Webinars
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quality & regulations
With Alfa Laval you don’t need to worry about following the strict regulations needed in hygienic operations. We have strong experience in the food industry as well as pharma & biotech, so with us you can be sure about compliance.
Would you like to discuss more?
Book a consultation with Alfa Laval today to discuss how our testing, equipment, and comprehensive support can help your food technology start-up thrive.
Leading Sweden’s transition to sustainable food through the upscaling of cultivated meat production
Can cultivated meat become a commercially viable contender in the race to safeguard the future of sustainably produced meat? Swedish startup Re:meat is firmly convinced that the answer is “yes” and has partnered with Alfa Laval and other companies in efforts to build an industry cluster to achieve just that.
Lantmännen digs deep to launch an exciting new yellow-pea-processing initiative
Lantmännen, a cooperative owned by Swedish farmers, accelerate the ambition in finding innovative solutions to bridging the global protein gap. The gap reflects the imbalance between food demand and supply, which is being put under increasing pressure by a growing world population heading for 9.8 billion by 2050 (UN, 2024).
Alfa Laval invests in Food Innovation Centre to reinforce contribution to the transformation of the global food system
Alfa Laval is establishing a world-class Food Innovation Centre in Copenhagen to help transform
the global food system. This facility will offer opportunities for collaboration across the food
innovation ecosystem, from proof of concept to industrial production. The centre aims to empower
innovators with cutting-edge technologies and insights to tackle the challenges of sustainable food production.
On-demand webinar: The future of novel food processing
Alternative proteins - plant-based, fermentation-derived, or cultivated - are rapidly advancing. Discover strategies for scaling up and best practices for resource-efficient, hygienic production to improve yield and profitability.
On-demand webinar: Optimize your processes in our test facility
Join our webinar to see how we can help you optimize your processes. We will show cases of how we optimized set-up and processes for two 'new food' processing companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Testing & proof of concept
Does Alfa Laval have pilot plants or test centres where we can trial your systems with our own raw materials?
Yes, Alfa Laval has multiple test centers focusing on different aspects of food production including all core components for initial lab tests, pilot tests, and finally full-scale production. You can test your solutions in our test centers in Denmark and Sweden or choose remote testing options and rental units to make trials at your own facility.
We also know of test beds and pilot plants with Alfa Laval equipment and who are open for testing and trials.
What kind of possibilities does Alfa Laval have for testing?
Alfa Laval offers a wide range of options depending on your preferences. You can purchase or rent all the necessary equipment to perform tests at your own facility or join us on-site at our test facilities.
For example, our Kolding test center in Denmark focused on hygienic fluid handling with batch sizes varying from 25 to 20 000 liters, and from lab scale to production scale.
What kind of tests can be performed?
Alfa Laval offers testing possibilities for various needs, including all core components for initial lab tests, pilot tests, and finally full-scale production. This includes for example separation, MBR filtration, evaporation, and hygienic fluid handling.
What is a spin test?
In food or protein separation applications, a spin test typically refers to a centrifugal separation Process used to evaluate how effectively components of a food mixture can be separated based on their density differences. This method is commonly used in both research and industrial settings to assess the behaviour of food materials under centrifugal force.
Does Alfa Laval have rental units and the possibility to test at our location?
Yes, you can rent or buy equipment for testing at your facility. We offer various options including smaller units, for example for separation and MBR filtration tests.
Does Alfa Laval provide guidance during testing or just the equipment?
Yes, we offer guidance during testing. Our team of application experts is glad to assist when you are testing and developing new recipes and processes or optimizing existing ones.
Are the tests free of charge or at a cost?
Testing is not offered for free, and the cost varies based on the type and length of the test. There are different options available from starting with more affordable tests to working with the entire process.
How is IP protected during the testing process?
IP is usually protected by a mutual non-disclosure agreement.
Offering & Solutions
Which systems are best suited for small-scale or pilot production of plant-based proteins from sources like pea, fava bean, or chickpea?
For small-scale and pilot production, Alfa Laval offers a range of dedicated systems: Standalone pilot units / LabStak™ modules – compact membrane filtration systems ideal for lab and pilot trials. PilotUnit Multi – a flexible pilot system for MF, UF, NF, and RO processes, supporting process development and scale-up. MultiSystem – a multipurpose membrane system designed for small-scale production with seamless scale-up to full industrial systems. All of these replicate the design of full-scale solutions, making it easy to move from testing to large-scale production.
Can Alfa Laval equipment handle a variety of raw materials or is it optimized for specific protein sources?
Alfa Laval systems are highly versatile and designed to process a wide variety of raw materials. Our technologies support both oilseed crops (such as soybean, rapeseed) and starch crops (including pea, chickpea, fava bean, mung bean, and more). From slurry preparation to decanters, separators, membrane filtration, pasteurization, and by-product recovery, our equipment can be configured to suit different feedstocks. Each system is tailored for high yield, purity, and operating efficiency, while remaining flexible for future scale-up.
How do Alfa Laval protein extraction and fractionation technologies compare in yield and efficiency versus other suppliers in the market?
Alfa Laval technologies are engineered for maximum yield and efficiency across the protein extraction process: The Plant Protein Separation System – combining our TopStream disc-stack centrifuge and wash decanter – delivers higher yield, greater throughput, gentle product handling, continuous solids discharge, and lower operating costs. The TopStream centrifuge significantly reduces power consumption compared to conventional methods, lowering the carbon footprint. Large-scale projects, such as Lantmännen’s plant in Sweden, demonstrate how our solutions enable full utilization of the crop (protein, starch, and fibers), ensuring higher efficiency and less waste. By optimizing the process at a system level, Alfa Laval ensures superior performance in terms of both product quality and resource efficiency.
How does Alfa Laval technology help improve the sustainability of alternative protein production (e.g. water, energy, waste)?
Sustainability is built into Alfa Laval’s solutions for alternative protein production: Reduced water and energy use through efficient separation, membrane filtration, and evaporation systems. By-product recovery of starch and fibers, reducing waste and creating new value streams. Energy-efficient separation technologies like the TopStream centrifuge and decanters, which cut power consumption. Advanced evaporation systems (e.g., AlfaFlash) that reuse heat across multiple effects, conserving energy. Full raw material utilization to minimize waste and maximize output. Circular water use and wastewater recovery to reduce freshwater demand and environmental footprint. These features ensure that Alfa Laval customers can scale up plant-based protein production while lowering resource consumption and supporting a more sustainable food system.
Does Alfa Laval provide tools that support sustainability targets?
Yes. Sustainability is at the core of everything we do at Alfa Laval. We offer a specialized tool called the Life-cycle Assessment (LCA) Solution, which functions as a sustainability index calculator tailored for the food and beverage industry. This tool is designed to:
• Calculate the environmental impact of products from farm to retail o Analyze emissions, energy and water use, and waste
• Simulate different sustainability strategies (e.g., equipment upgrades, process optimization, or material sourcing)
• Track sustainability performance across product lines
• Ensure compliance with Scope 3 reporting and other regulatory demands
Do Alfa Laval systems support closed-loop water or heat recovery in protein processing plants?
Yes. Our technologies are designed to support circularity through closed-loop water recovery and heat integration. Solutions such as plate heat exchangers, energy-efficient evaporators, and water recovery systems minimize utility consumption, lower operational costs, and reduce environmental footprint.
How modular are Alfa Laval systems – can we start small and scale as we grow?
Alfa Laval systems are highly modular and scalable. Customers can start with pilot or small-scale units and expand capacity over time by adding modules or upgrading to larger systems. This ensures investments remain future-proof while supporting growth and new product development.
Does Alfa Laval offer integrated turnkey solutions for start-to-finish protein processing lines, or should we expect to source multiple components separately?
Alfa Laval offers complete, integrated turnkey solutions for plant-based protein production – from raw material preparation through extraction, separation, concentration, purification, and by-product recovery. While our core expertise lies in separation, heat transfer, and fluid handling, we work closely with partners and EPCs to deliver seamless, end-to-end production lines.
Can Alfa Laval help us design a facility layout optimized around Alfa Laval solutions for plant-based protein processing?
Yes. Alfa Laval provides process and layout design support to help customers integrate our equipment into efficient, fit-for-purpose facilities. We combine our process know-how with simulation tools, pilot trials, and design expertise to ensure plant layouts maximize productivity, sustainability, and future scalability.
Can Alfa Laval systems support novel product formats like high-moisture meat analogues or protein isolates for RTD beverages?
Absolutely. Our technologies are flexible enough to produce a wide range of protein formats – from concentrates and isolates for use in ready-to-drink beverages and nutritional products, to high-purity fractions that can serve as the basis for high-moisture meat analogues. With the right process integration, Alfa Laval systems can be adapted to support emerging applications in the alternative protein sector.
Quality & regulations
Are Alfa Laval proposals aligned with regulatory and compliance standards?
Alfa Laval’s testing facilities and systems for food and beverage production are designed to meet a wide range of regulatory and compliance standards, ensuring safety, hygiene, and operational excellence (EHEDG, HACCP, ISO 22000 and more).
Support
What level of technical support does Alfa Laval offer food and beverage startups?
Alfa Laval offers comprehensive support for startups in the alternative protein production space, including plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated proteins. Startups can access Alfa Laval’s protein and fermentation experts early in the project lifecycle for guidance on process design and equipment selection, testing and proof of concept.
Does Alfa Laval provide local service and support?
With service centers in over 50 countries, Alfa Laval provides:
• On-site consultations to assess your current setup
• Remote support for performance tracking and optimization
• Access to regional engineering teams and food systems specialists
Is there a minimum requirement for becoming eligible as a start-up partner with Alfa Laval?
No, there are no minimum requirements for partnership eligibility. We like to explore all great ideas – big or small. What Alfa Laval looks for in a food startup partner is a focus on innovation, a commitment to sustainability and a collaborative mindset.
Financing & ROI
Does Alfa Laval provide any tools or consultation to help calculate ROI or cost-efficiency of investing in your systems?
Yes. Alfa Laval’s service teams offer consultation on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and ROI modelling. These services are tailored to help you maximize return on investment while ensuring compliance and sustainability of your food concept.
Are there flexible financing options or leasing models available for startups with limited upfront capital?
Yes, Alfa Laval offers flexible financing and leasing options to support food and beverage startups, especially those with limited upfront capital. From customized payment plans, to leasing models or deferred payment options, the possibilities are broad. Get in touch for a personalized proposal.