Saudi Industrial Investment Group (SIIG) has announced plans to develop a SAR 1.4 billion (approximately $370 million) bio-protein production facility in Jubail Industrial City, marking a significant step in Saudi Arabia’s drive to build a domestic aquaculture sector and reduce dependence on imported fish feed.
A Strategic Investment in Food Security
The plant, to be located in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province, will produce 50,000 tonnes of single-cell protein annually using natural gas as feedstock. The project is a joint venture between SIIG, which will hold an 80 percent stake, and UK-headquartered biotechnology company Unibio, which will own the remaining 20 percent. The facility will manufacture Uniprotein, a high-quality protein ingredient widely used as a sustainable alternative to fishmeal in aquaculture feed.
The investment builds on an existing relationship between the two companies. SIIG committed $70 million to Unibio in March 2023 and currently holds a 24 percent stake in the British firm. The Jubail plant represents the operational realisation of that partnership, translating research and investment into large-scale domestic production.
Timeline and Production Schedule
Construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2026, with completion targeted for the latter six months of 2027. Following a trial production period in the second half of 2027, commercial operations are scheduled to commence in the first half of 2028. The phased rollout reflects the complexity of scaling bio-protein manufacturing to industrial capacity while meeting food safety and quality standards.
SIIG disclosed the project in a statement to the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul). The company’s shares responded positively to the announcement, closing 1.66 percent higher at SAR 12.87 on the day of disclosure, extending year-to-date gains to 3.62 percent. The General Organisation for Social Insurance holds an 18.58 percent stake in SIIG, highlighting the project’s alignment with broader national economic priorities.
Aquaculture and Vision 2030
The Jubail bio-protein facility fits squarely within Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals of diversifying the national economy and achieving greater food security. The Kingdom has identified aquaculture as a priority sector, given its potential to generate sustainable protein supply for a growing population while creating high-quality industrial jobs in the Eastern Province.
Jubail Industrial City, one of the world’s largest planned industrial complexes, provides the infrastructure, logistics, and energy access required for a gas-fed bio-protein plant of this scale. Local production of Uniprotein is expected to provide year-round, consistent supplies for fish and shrimp farmers across the Kingdom, reducing reliance on imported protein sources and supporting the competitiveness of Saudi aquaculture businesses.
