Wide Open Agriculture has added three prospective Asian manufacturing partners as it accelerates its shift away from owner-operated production in Germany towards a lower-cost, capital-light manufacturing model.
The ASX-listed ingredients company has signed non-binding framework agreements with Vietnam LifeScience Company Limited (VLS) in Vietnam, Shree Ram Agro Products, operating as OMN9, in India, and PT Haldin Pacific Semesta in Indonesia.
The agreements bring its prospective contract manufacturing partners to four across the three countries.
The move follows WOA’s July decision to wind down its Grimmen facility in Germany and move production to contract manufacturers, initially targeting 500–1000 tonnes per annum of lupin protein isolate. At the time, the company said higher European energy and operating costs, combined with the plant not being designed for integrated whole-of-lupin processing, meant owner-operated German production no longer fitted its scale-up strategy.
The German operation, acquired with Prolupin, had served as WOA’s commercial-scale proof of concept, validating its processing technology and helping secure regulatory approvals and establish customers. Its wind-down is expected to leave no material ongoing costs after December 2026.
WOA has identified more than 95 potential manufacturers and signed more than 12 non-disclosure agreements as it works through its partner selection process. The latest agreements allow technical assessments, commercial feasibility work and potential production trials to proceed while protecting WOA’s intellectual property.
VLS operates a pea protein manufacturing facility in Vietnam’s Dong Nai Province; OMN9 produces mung bean protein isolate and starch in India; and Haldin operates multiple natural ingredient production facilities in Indonesia.
WOA CEO, Craig Swan said progressing several candidates simultaneously would reduce risk as the company moves towards selecting a long-term partner.
“Signing three further framework agreements shows our partner selection process is progressing. With intellectual property protections now in place with highly respected manufacturers across three countries, we can complete technical and commercial feasibility work in parallel,” Swan said.
“This allows WOA to progress our strategy of manufacturing our lupin ingredients at scale under contract manufacturing. Our approach manages risk for WOA and ensures we move forward with speed.”
The manufacturing shift is also central to WOA’s broader whole-of-seed strategy. Earlier this month, independent CSIRO testing found its lupin kernel fibre retained its functional and structural properties through thermal processing and performed consistently under mechanical stress. The fibre is recovered from the same kernel used for lupin protein isolate, potentially providing WOA with an additional ingredient stream from the same manufacturing throughput. Scaled fibre production, however, remains dependent on securing a contract manufacturer.
Under the latest agreements, WOA retains ownership of its lupin-related intellectual property. The manufacturers are restricted from using its processes, know-how or technical information to manufacture lupin products for themselves or third parties, with protections continuing for five years after termination. The remaining provisions are largely non-binding.
The VLS agreement goes further, with conditional exclusivity triggered once the manufacturer has commercially produced more than 50 tonnes of lupin protein isolate, subject to it continuing to accept WOA purchase orders and meet production targets. WOA and VLS will also explore a potential joint venture for large-scale production of lupin protein, fibre and oil, while OMN9 and WOA will discuss similar opportunities in India.
The contract manufacturing strategy represents the intermediate stage between WOA’s German operation and its longer-term ambition for large-scale production. In 2025, the company began a pre-feasibility study into a potential 10,000-tonne-per-annum lupin protein isolate facility in Western Australia. That project remains a longer-term option subject to feasibility, funding and board approval.
The parties will now work towards trial production and commercial terms, with each framework agreement contemplating a definitive agreement being negotiated within 90 days on a best-endeavours basis. The timeframe is not binding and WOA said there was no assurance an agreement would ultimately be reached.
WOA is continuing discussions with other prospective manufacturers and said further framework agreements could be signed before it selects its preferred long-term partner.
