Vilnius, Lithuania – March 3, 2026 – Pentasweet has officially signed the civil construction agreement and broken ground on its commercial scale brazzein production facility in Vilnius. The project marks a pivotal transition from pilot scale research and development to full industrial production and positions Pentasweet among the first companies globally to manufacture sweet proteins at commercial scale. 

The facility, located in the Vilnius City Innovation Industrial Park, will span more than 8,000 square meters and incorporate advanced automation and process control systems to ensure consistent quality, reliability, and scalability. 

At full capacity, the plant will produce brazzein delivering sweetness equivalent to 50,000 tons of sugar annually – enabling large-scale sugar reduction across a wide range of food and beverage applications. 

A Two-Phase Industrial Expansion 

The project will be implemented in two stages. Phase I will establish the core production infrastructure and initial manufacturing capacity, with completion planned for early 2027. Following Phase II, which will further expand production capacity, total investment is expected to reach €65 million. 

Strengthening Europe’s Food Biotech Ecosystem 

The development is expected to create approximately 30 new jobs once the facility reaches full capacity. With a total project value of €65 million, the investment represents a significant contribution to regional economic growth and further strengthens Lithuania’s position as a growing hub for biotechnology and food innovation. 

“Brazzein production is an exceptionally complex process requiring advanced biotechnology capabilities. The successful development of a full production cycle in Lithuania demonstrates the strength of our scientific expertise and reflects decades of investment in life sciences. This milestone represents an important step not only for Pentasweet, but for Lithuania’s biotechnology sector as a whole.” said Dr. Danas Tvarijonavičius, co-founder and investor at Pentasweet. 

The project is co-funded by the Lithuanian National Development Bank ILTE. Among partners that are contributing to implementation of the project are leading engineering, consulting, biotechnology solutions, and civil construction companies from Lithuania and across the EU. 

Enabling Next-Generation Sugar Reduction 

Global food and beverage manufacturers are under increasing pressure to reduce sugar while maintaining taste, stability, and consumer acceptance. Many existing alternatives present formulation challenges or sensory trade-offs. 

Brazzein – a sweet protein produced via precision fermentation – offers a differentiated solution designed for modern product reformulation: 

  • Up to 1,500 times sweeter than sugar 
  • Non-caloric and sugar-free 
  • Clean taste profile without lingering aftertaste 
  • High thermal and pH stability across diverse applications 
  • Consumer friendly “sweet protein” labeling 
  • Produced through precision fermentation – proccess that supports circular economy principles 

By combining sweetness intensity with formulation stability and scalable production, Pentasweet aims to support manufacturers in achieving meaningful sugar reduction without compromising product performance or consumer experience. 

The groundbreaking of the commercial facility marks a defining step in bringing sweet proteins from innovation stage to industrial reality – accelerating the transition toward next-generation sugar reduction solutions for the global food industry. 

About Pentasweet 

Pentasweet is a biotechnology company pioneering a modern sugar reduction solution – sweet protein brazzein that is 1,500 times sweeter than sugar.  

Founded in 2023 and headquartered in Europe, Pentasweet brings together world-class scientific innovation and industrial scalability to deliver a non-caloric, zero-sugar alternative with no compromise on taste, health or function. Pentasweet produces brazzein through precision fermentation – a sustainable, scalable method that eliminates reliance on limited wild harvest sources. Our fermentation process enables consistent quality and quantities, and cost efficiency suitable for industrial-scale production.