Apetit invests in the operations of the Kantvik vegetable oil milling plant – supports the commercialization of rapeseed powder BlackGrain

The investment in the Kantvik vegetable oil milling plant will multiply manufacturing capacity for the raw material for BlackGrain and significantly improve quality and efficiency of the process. It also includes replacement investments in the oil milling plant’s current processes.

"The availability of raw material has been one of the bottlenecks in increasing actual production. The investment made now is a significant step on the path to commercializing BlackGrain," says Timo Huttunen, Director of Apetit's Oilseed Products business.

"In the future, rapeseed will be used to make three different products: vegetable oil, expeller for animal feed and raw material for the production of BlackGrain. The actual BlackGrain rapeseed powder will continue to be manufactured as a subcontract outside Kantvik. The investment being made now will ensure the availability of raw material well into the future and it creates a basis for possible further investments," Huttunen says.

At the same time, Apetit is analyzing options to produce the BlackGrain rapeseed powder. Apetit analyzes potential partnerships and ways to organize production by investment in the Kantvik vegetable oil milling plant or by outsourced services.

What is BlackGrain?

• Innovative food ingredient processed from turnip rape and rapeseed, received a novel food authorisation in 2021
• Preserves the good nutritional characteristics of turnip rape and rapeseed: it contains fibre, protein and good fats
• Mild in taste, diverse applications
• Used to improve the texture and nutritional characteristics of food products
• Innovation that shortens the food chain – made from a product generated by vegetable oil milling
• Vegan, gluten-free, FODMAP-compliant, GMO-free
• Can be used in plant protein products, meatballs, snack products, cereals and baking products to improve their taste, nutritional characteristics and texture