(NAFB.com) – ADM announced this week it will invest approximately $300 million to significantly expand its Decatur, Illinois, alternative protein production.

ADM also plans to open a new, state-of-the-art Protein Innovation Center, also in Decatur. An ADM spokesperson says, “The global trends of food security and sustainability are driving structural changes in the food industry, including strong growth in alternative proteins.” Alternative meat and dairy sales alone expected to grow by 14 percent a year and reach $125 billion in 2030. The production increase represents a significant expansion of ADM’s alternative protein capabilities.

The project, expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025, will significantly strengthen ADM’s ability to meet growing global demand by increasing soy protein concentrate capacity and nearly doubling extrusion capacity at ADM’s Decatur complex.

The Protein Innovation Center will further expand ADM’s Decatur-based innovation complex. The new Decatur Innovation Center will bring together labs, test kitchens, and pilot-scale production capabilities to power innovation.