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Today, 11 European partners-strong consortium led by a dynamic SME Microphyt officially inaugurated the world’s very first industrial-scale microalgae biorefinery in Baillargues, southern France. The biorefinery is expected to produce 100 tons per year of natural active ingredients for the health, nutrition, cosmetics, and animal feed sectors.
Today’s event marks the project’s successful completion after four years of scientific, technological and industrial collaboration supported with €14.3 million in CBE JU funding.
The opening of the SCALE biorefinery is a major milestone for Europe’s bio-based sector. This project shows how CBE JU support can help de-risk breakthrough innovations and bring them to market. This unique biorefinery combines cutting-edge microalgae production with strong sustainability credentials proving that there is a path from lab to real-world impact. It highlights Europe’s biomass potential in high-value markets like food, supplements, and cosmetics, while contributing to the blue economy and the EU’s green transition.
Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore, Executive Director, CBE JU
Innovative and sustainable bio-industrial production model
With more than 5,000 m² of infrastructure and exclusive photobioreactor technology, the new biorefinery enables the large-scale cultivation of microalgae under controlled, sustainable, and efficient conditions. It is expected to produce over 100 tons per year of natural active ingredients for the health, nutrition, dietary supplements, cosmetics, and animal feed markets.
The innovative and sustainable plant incorporates eco-friendly practices such as solar self-consumption and circular resource valorisation.
SCALE is far more than a technological project - it is a concrete response to major contemporary challenges in health and well-being, ecological transition, and industrial sovereignty. We are proud to drive this momentum from France and to actively contribute to the European bioeconomy.
Vincent Usache, Chief Executive Officer, Microphyt
Bio-based solutions for health and beauty
The SCALE ingredients are safe and can compete with their fossil-based counterparts on both price and performance, while having a much smaller environmental impact. As a source of vitamins, minerals, and proteins, microalgae can replace synthetic compounds and animal extracts such as Omega-3 from fish in food and food supplements. In feed, they address protein shortages, which are a major concern, particularly in aquaculture. For livestock, they offer a healthy alternative to animal meal, which can contain antibiotics and chemicals. Microalgae-based food supplements can also improve cognition, hearing and digestion. They also play a role in sports nutrition, weight management, and pain prevention.
During past four years, the SCALE team has worked on a wide range of consumer products using active ingredients extracted from microalgae. 11 of them, including PhaeOptim™, ZenGut™, and PhycoSi™, have already been commercialised in some 15 countries to address the growing demand for natural, clinically validated, and sustainable solutions.
The well-known CHANEL brand is one of the industrial partners in the project. During this collaboration, its researchers have been testing the potential of microalgae-based ingredients in the brand’s cosmetical products.
This European project was an opportunity for the Research Department of Chanel Parfums Beauté to build on an almost 10 year-long collaboration with Microphyt to develop sustainable, unique, resilient and innovative microalgae-based ingredients for the future of CHANEL skincare and make-up products.
Alix Toribio, Head of Innovation and Production of Natural Materials, CHANEL Parfums Beauté
Economic boost for coastal and rural areas
The SCALE biorefinery has boosted the economy in the greater Montpellier area and Hérault department where it is located. It has created over 60 direct jobs in production, engineering, maintenance, research and development, marketing, and administration. Additionally, the establishment of local supply chains has given rise to a need for logistics, transport, and other services, leading to well over 200 indirect jobs.
The biorefinery’s successful business model has in total attracted close to €25 million support from different funding sources. Representatives of the local, regional and national authorities attending the inauguration highlighted its positive impact on the local economy, and how it has turned a potential brain drain into a regional opportunity.
