Rami Jokela takes the helm at Solar Foods as company prepares for next phase of growth

Rami Jokela has today (1 April 2025) officially stepped into the role of CEO at Solar Foods, taking over leadership at a pivotal moment in the company’s journey. With the first commercial-scale production facility now up and running and several high-profile partnerships in motion, Jokela is tasked with leading the company through its next chapter: global commercialization.

Since opening Factory 01 in April 2024, Solar Foods has accelerated the rollout of Solein, its novel protein ingredient produced from air and electricity. Over the past year, the company has achieved several milestones, including securing self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status in the USA, listing on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland, and signing multiple commercial agreements. These include two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering 6,000 tons of Solein per year, along with a major supply deal in the USA. Meanwhile, planning is underway for Factory 02 – with early-stage plans to build two additional facilities on the same site.

“Solar Foods is a unique company with its technology, process know-how, and offering,” said Jokela. “The company has made wise strategic choices to go forward and for its growth. Those things impressed me early on in my discussions. What’s more, there’s a strong sense of a shared vision and drive in the team: everyone’s committed to the same goals.”

Jokela’s arrival marks the company’s transition from food tech startup to commercial food industry operator. After co-founding and leading the company since 2017, former CEO Pasi Vainikka now joins the board of directors.

With a background in international business and technology, Jokela brings experience in scaling companies for long-term growth. He believes several global megatrends – sustainability, health and wellness, and food safety – will support Solar Foods’ expansion and help transition the business to profitability by 2030.

“Solein’s carbon footprint and resource-effective process make it the leader of the sustainability race,” he explained. “There’s also increasing demand for healthy, high-quality nutrition without cholesterol or saturated fats, especially among younger generations. And food safety matters more than ever – people want to know where their food comes from and how it’s produced. Solein delivers on all of these.”

In the USA, Solar Foods is initially focusing on the health and performance nutrition category. Regulatory approval in the European Union is expected in 2026. Jokela sees this as the right time to build the foundation for future growth and production scale.

“Whey and similar alternatives are growing fast, but there’s not enough whey protein to meet demand,” he said. “Solein can surpass whey, with added benefits around sustainability, price, and quality. It combines the best of animal- and plant-based proteins. The demand is there, and now is the moment to build the production capacity to meet it.”

A recent MoU covering 6,000 tons per year could account for roughly 50% of the future capacity of Factory 02. In response, Solar Foods is considering constructing three facilities – Factories 02, 03, and 04 – at the same location, with an investment decision anticipated in 2026.

Solein has already made its way into product development pipelines. Solar Foods has launched its own concept, Solein Protein Bites, and several partner companies have introduced initial products containing the ingredient. More are expected to follow.

While the company’s operational focus has shifted, its mission remains unchanged: revolutionizing the global food system.

“The transformation toward more sustainable food is driven by multiple megatrends,” said Jokela. “Solar Foods has strong momentum, and I believe we can lead the way and be the frontrunner in the food revolution.”