Hyper-Fermentation Hub

Mackay’s Leap Into Bio-Manufacturing

A groundbreaking development is set to revolutionise Mackay, as Australian food-tech company Cauldron Ferm partners with the Queensland government to establish the region’s first precision fermentation contract manufacturing facility. The $100 million-plus "Cauldron Bio-fab" will become the largest end-to-end contract manufacturer of precision-fermented products in the Asia-Pacific, deploying state-of-the-art ‘hyper-fermentation’ technology to drive down costs and boost production.

The facility, which will have the capacity to produce over 1,000 tonnes of bioproducts annually, is a major step forward in both local and national biofutures. From food and nutrition to beauty, personal care, chemicals, and biofuels, this Mackay-based hub will supply key ingredients and materials to a variety of sectors.

Cauldron Ferm’s new venture will build on the company’s success at its 25,000-litre demonstration site in New South Wales, representing its first industrial-scale bio-manufacturing site and laying the foundation for future global expansion. The Queensland government’s support comes from its $415.5 million Industry Partnership Program, which is committed to growing the biofutures sector and creating new economic opportunities for regional communities like Mackay.

This initiative is poised to accelerate Mackay’s status as a bio hub, leveraging years of government investment in the Queensland University of Technology’s Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant. It will also provide a critical commercialisation pathway for precision fermentation, aligning with forecasts from CSIRO, which predicts Australia’s market for precision fermentation protein ingredients could reach $13 billion by 2030.

Minister for State Development and Infrastructure Grace Grace said, “Cauldron is a step closer towards building a first-of-a-kind facility that will produce ingredients used in fibre, fuel, feed and food products at commercial scale.

“The United Nations predicts that globally 70% more food, especially protein, will need to be produced by 2050 – a demand that traditional protein production systems cannot meet alone.

“This is another example of an important new industry being developed with assistance from the IPP supporting Queensland’s economic shift by establishing new regional industries and boosting regional supply chains.”

Michele Stansfield, co-founder and CEO of Cauldron, said, “We are honoured to be receiving support from the Queensland Government to develop our first industrial-scale operations in Mackay.

“This funding enables us to scale our innovative technology as a major milestone in our journey to redefine the scope of biomanufacturing. We look forward to developing the critical infrastructure to produce essential bioproducts more efficiently and sustainably to meet growing demand.”

The development scheme for the Mackay State Development Area (SDA) has also been approved, helping to unlock land for new and emerging industrial development and supporting the creation of more jobs.

The SDA sets aside 907 hectares of land adjacent to the Racecourse Mill and at Rosella to support value adding industries to the existing sugar cane production.

The development scheme will support the Mackay Whitsunday region to become Queensland’s home of an emerging biofutures sector dedicated to the development and manufacturing of innovative products from sustainable resources.

Labor candidate for Mackay, Belinda Hassan added that, “Queensland is leading the nation in the biofutures sector, so it’s tremendous to have Mackay at the core of this drive to unlock future industry development opportunities.”

The Labor Government also supports the Australian Sugar Milling Council (ASMC), Tully Sugar, and Wilmar Sugar through the Queensland Bioenergy Fund.

The ASMC, Tully Sugar and Wilmar Sugar are the first three recipients from the fund.

The ASMC will receive $330,000 for studies that will advance the sugar industry’s understanding of the commercial viability of liberalising feedstock and investing in greater cogeneration capacity.

Tully Sugar Limited will receive $175,000 for studies towards developing best practice cogeneration efficiency and assessing potential future investment to optimise network cogeneration capacity.

Wilmar Sugar will receive $700,000 for studies to increase cogeneration capacity of bioenergy and reduce electricity imports and coal consumption.

Assistant Minister for State Development and Infrastructure and Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert said that, “Our communities in regional Queensland, including Mackay, know this program is creating high value jobs and bringing new skills and capabilities to established and emerging industries.

“Biofutures is the sector of today, for tomorrow. It brings together old and new industry creating new products and opportunities around energy, waste and emissions.

“The Queensland Bioenergy Fund aligns with the Queensland New-Industry Development Strategy and the Biofutures 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan to decarbonise by capitalising on the use of waste and other by-products of traditional industry to support demand for renewable energy.

“Bioenergy is an emerging industry and can only change on the scale needed to support decarbonisation and meet domestic demand with government intervention and proactive industry partners.”

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