On July 17, 2025, GEA inaugurated its new Food Application and Technology Center (ATC) in Janesville, Wisconsin. The $20 million facility is the company’s second global center focused on alternative proteins and sustainable food production technologies. It follows the opening of GEA’s first ATC in Hildesheim, Germany, in 2023.
“To feed future generations sustainably, we must turn vision into scalable reality.”
The Janesville facility is located at GEA’s existing campus, which has been operational since 2024, supporting production, repair, logistics, and training. The center is specifically designed to accelerate the scale-up of novel food production methods, including precision fermentation, cell cultivation, and plant-based food processing. It features pilot-scale infrastructure that mimics industrial production conditions, allowing companies to optimize processes for producing next-generation proteins.
Stefan Klebert, CEO of GEA Group, said, “To feed future generations sustainably, we must turn vision into scalable reality. Our new center in Janesville is a key milestone, helping our customers scale up production of novel foods, such as precision-fermented egg white and cultivated seafood, while strengthening our North American operations.”
Technologies available at the ATC include bioreactors for precision fermentation, thermal processing, aseptic filling, membrane filtration, spray drying, and centrifugation—each crucial for developing products with the desired texture, taste, and cost-efficiency. The center also provides full laboratory capabilities for microbiological, cell-based, and analytical testing, supporting food safety and product stability.
Powered by renewables
The facility is powered entirely by renewable energy, including a solar park that generates surplus electricity, further contributing to sustainability goals. In addition to its technological contributions, the ATC creates skilled jobs in the region, with new engineering and scientific roles, as well as providing support for existing GEA operations in Janesville.
The center’s opening also impacts the local economy, having supported the creation of 400–500 construction jobs. Jimsi Kuborn, Economic Development Director for Janesville, noted that the facility is a “model for what’s possible—not just for Janesville, but for the entire Midwest and beyond.”
Jessica Almy, Interim CEO of The Good Food Institute, noted, “GEA’s Janesville center shows how innovation and agriculture can work hand in hand to create good jobs, strengthen food security, and help address climate challenges. It contributes to positioning the American Midwest at the forefront of food innovation.”
