Ground-breaking at MiAlgae's Grangemouth site.
Photo: MiAlgae
Scottish biotech company MiAlgae has broken ground on a new large-scale production facility in Grangemouth that will significantly expand its output of algal omega-3 oils for the pet food and aquaculture markets.
The new site, which is expected to be operational in early Q2 2026, will increase MiAlgae’s omega-3 production capacity by more than tenfold, the company announced.
According to MiAlgae, the facility will replace marine-sourced omega-3s equivalent to around six billion fish annually, recycle more than 36 million litres of whisky by-products through its production process, and create hundreds of jobs in biotechnology, engineering and production once fully scaled.
The project is being supported by a joint investment of up to £3 million from the UK and Scottish governments. MiAlgae’s technology uses by-products from Scotland’s whisky industry to grow microalgae naturally rich in DHA, producing a vegan, fully traceable and low-carbon omega-3 ingredient.
Douglas Martin, founder and CEO of MiAlgae, said the development "marks an exciting new chapter for MiAlgae."
"Our mission has always been to make a meaningful impact, tackling overfishing, reducing waste, and creating sustainable value from industrial by-products. This new facility is a huge step towards delivering that mission at scale, bringing new, high-quality green jobs to the local area, and helping Scotland lead the way in this exciting new biotech industry,” Martin added.
The facility has been designed with modular scalability, allowing MiAlgae to increase its output in line with demand from pet food and aquaculture brands. Its location close to raw-material suppliers and customers is intended to reduce transport requirements and support a lower-carbon supply chain serving the UK, EU and US markets.
Digital rendering of MiAlgae's Grangemouth algal oil production site.
Image: MiAlgae
MiAlgae’s investment forms part of Project Willow, a Scottish government initiative focused on redeveloping Grangemouth for green and low-carbon industries.
Scotland's Energy Minister Michael Shanks said the project was the first new development at the site. “Today we’re taking another step forward as we back the first new project at the site, creating hundreds of new, decent jobs and attracting further investment in the area. This project, alongside the £200 million of funding pledged from the National Wealth Fund, is part of our clear strategy for Grangemouth’s industrial future,” he said.
“It’s wonderful to see MiAlgae break ground on its first commercial-scale plant," said Jan Robertson, director of Grangemouth Transition at Scottish Enterprise. “We’ve worked with the company since 2016, aiding its ambitious growth with a mix of advisory and funding support. Grangemouth is the perfect location for this innovative Scottish scale-up to grow and prosper, bringing high-quality jobs and supply chain opportunities to the community.”
The funding also forms part of wider public investment in the area, including £14.5 million announced in the UK Budget to support Grangemouth’s transition to low-carbon technologies, the Scottish Government’s £25 million Grangemouth Just Transition Fund, and £200 million previously pledged from the National Wealth Fund to support redevelopment of the site.
MiAlgae previously announced it had secured £14 million in funding for the expansion. The company reached commercial-scale production at its demonstrator site last year and was also shortlisted for The Earthshot Prize, recognising its circular approach to producing algae-derived omega 3 as a cost-effective alternative to fish-based oils.
