Pentasweet advances €65 million Brazzein facility in Lithuania with foundation milestone

Pentasweet has marked a new phase in the development of its €65 million (US$70 million) brazzein sweet protein facility in Vilnius, as construction progressed with the placement of a symbolic capsule into the factory’s foundations.

• Pentasweet advanced its €65 million (US$70 million) brazzein production facility in Vilnius with a foundation milestone and plans to begin operations in the first half of 2027.
• The 8,000 square meter site has been designed to become Europe’s first production center for brazzein, a sweet protein significantly sweeter than sugar.
• The project received major investment status in Lithuania and is expected to create around 30 highly skilled jobs across biotechnology, engineering, and automation.

The facility, located at the Vilnius City Innovation Industrial Park, has been planned as the first production center in Europe dedicated to brazzein, a high-intensity sweet protein reported to be 1,500 times sweeter than sugar. Pentasweet has confirmed that operations are expected to begin in the first half of 2027.

Lithuania’s Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė described the project as part of a broader shift toward higher value-added economic activity. She said: “Lithuania is consistently strengthening its high value-added economy and is capable not only of creating innovation but also of turning it into real projects. The Pentasweet factory is the first brazzein production center of its kind in Europe, demonstrating that Lithuania can be among global leaders in life sciences. This is a meaningful investment not only in the economy but also in people’s health. Solutions that enable reduced sugar consumption have great potential to transform the food industry and everyday habits.”

The factory will cover more than 8,000 square meters on a 1.2-hectare site and has been designed to support industrial-scale production of brazzein using precision fermentation. The ingredient has been positioned as a potential solution for reducing sugar content in food products without altering taste or functionality.

Danas Tvarijonavičius, Chairman of the Board of Pentasweet, said the milestone reflected long-term development efforts behind the project. He said: “Today’s placement of the capsule into the foundations of the future brazzein factory marks an important step in realizing a long-developed vision and consistent work. Brazzein production is an extremely complex process that can only be executed by organizations with very high level of expertise. This is the result of decades of development in the life sciences sector for Lithuania.”

The Lithuanian Ministry of Economy and Innovation has granted the project major investment status, a designation intended to support large-scale industrial developments with strategic economic impact. The government has indicated that the project is expected to contribute to innovation capacity, strengthen the country’s life sciences sector, and support export growth.

Minister of Economy and Innovation Edvinas Grikšas highlighted the role of collaboration between public and private stakeholders in bringing the project forward. He said: “Innovations of this scale do not happen by chance – they require not only a strong scientific base, talent, and a functioning ecosystem, but also active government involvement. Pentasweet reflects the result of targeted investment and collaboration, where technology developed in Lithuania successfully transitions into high value-added manufacturing and targets global markets.”

Pentasweet has developed its own production technology for brazzein, enabling the protein to be produced without reliance on its natural source, a fruit found in Central and West Africa. The company has indicated that its precision fermentation process has been designed to optimize raw material use, with byproducts intended for further applications such as biofuel generation.

The project has also been presented as part of Lithuania’s wider strategy to expand its biotechnology and life sciences industries. Elijus Čivilis, CEO of Invest Lithuania, described the investment as a signal of growing international competitiveness. He said: “Biotechnology is currently one of the most promising and innovative industries. Pentasweet’s investment is also highly innovative – the factory being built will be the first of its kind in Europe and one of the first in the world. This allows Lithuania to take pride in becoming an increasingly strong hub for high value-added investments, where such unique projects create jobs, build competencies, strengthen the economy, and enhance the country’s international competitiveness. This is an investment we can rightfully be proud of.”

The facility is expected to create around 30 jobs, spanning roles in biotechnology, engineering, and automation. Pentasweet selected Vilnius as the site for the factory, citing access to skilled talent and established infrastructure.

Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas said the investment reinforced the city’s role as a center for innovation. He said: “The decision of a biotechnology company with strong international growth potential to establish itself in Vilnius is an important recognition for the city. It reflects the strengthening role of Vilnius as a center of high value-added economy and innovation. Talent is concentrated here, modern infrastructure is being developed, and a favorable environment is being created for high value-added projects.”

Brazzein is produced through precision fermentation as a protein-based sweetener. Pentasweet has indicated that, due to its molecular properties, it does not affect human microbiota or cause blood glucose spikes, making it suitable for reduced-sugar formulations.

Tvarijonavičius said the company’s focus remained on enabling healthier food products at scale. He said: “Our main goal is to contribute to the promotion and development of healthier dietary solutions. We believe that the broad application of brazzein in the food industry has strong potential to replace added sugar or other sweeteners. This enables the creation of healthier products without compromising taste or increasing cost.”

The project has been partially financed through a loan from Lithuania’s National Development Bank ILTE. Construction and development partners include Naresta as contractor, Viconus as project manager, TEC Consulting as technology designer, TEC Industry as building and process designer, and MAMA architects as the architecture studio.