Solar Foods appoints Rami Jokela as the new CEO to lead the global expansion phase

Solar Foods, the Finnish protein-production revolutionizer, announces the appointment of Rami Jokela (M.Sc.) as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Management Team, effective April 1, 2025. This strategic leadership transition marks a pivotal moment in Solar Foods’ journey, as the company advances from pioneering technological development to executing its global business strategy. In the beginning, Jokela’s first priorities will be driving growth in the Health & Performance Nutrition segment especially in the United States, implementation of a concept sales model, increasing product price points and increased capacity at Factory 01 in order to meet demand. Jokela will also be responsible for the execution of the phased investment plan for the Factory 02 facility, aiming to achieve positive EBITDA during the strategy period.

Jokela brings a proven track record of building high-performing teams and scaling international businesses. His last position was with Körber Group where, as Chief Sales Officer and member of the executive board, he implemented go-to-market strategy, including the United States markets, and unified company’s vast array of brands under one brand. During his five-year tenure, the annual order intake almost doubled from EUR 1.8 billion to 3.2 billion. Before this, he spearheaded digitalization at ABB Group, a pivotal project for the company, spanning 21 different business areas with multi-billion revenues. This followed his establishment of the company’s smart marine and port operations – a crucial seed for the development of the entire industry. In addition, Jokela established ABB’s marine operations in China, growing these from scratch into a EUR 100 million business, and transformed Roll-Royce’s marine operations in North-East Asia, resulting in annual revenues of EUR 500 million.

“The appointment of Rami Jokela reflects Solar Foods’ readiness to transition from a technological innovator to a global commercial player,” said Juha Lindfors, Chairman of the Board. “With Rami’s industrial expertise and global business perspective, Solar Foods is well-positioned to scale its operations and meet the growing demand for sustainable food solutions. Rami’s achievements are underpinned by long experience in growing businesses and managing growth-oriented international teams effectively.”

“I am honored and extremely motivated to join Solar Foods at such a pivotal time,” said Jokela. “I’ve had the honor to lead five different growth journeys in my career. The technology, the people and the spirit of collaboration have been critical success factors in each of these. In Solar Foods, I see the same motivation and the same capacity for huge growth. The company’s groundbreaking technology has the potential to make a significant impact globally, and therefore I look forward to working with the team accelerating Solar Foods’ growth and bringing its innovative solutions to the world.”

A transformative moment

Solar Foods’ mission to revolutionize food production aligns with global calls for sustainable solutions in the face of climate challenges. With its novel protein Solein® – a CO2-based, resource-efficient alternative – the company is poised to redefine the future of food.

Over the past seven years, Solar Foods has achieved significant milestones, including:

• Food permits and R&D: The company has proven the safety and viability of its novel Solein® protein for a wide range of food applications, e.g. securing food permit in key markets such as the United States.
• Market readiness: Solar Foods has clarified its product’s value proposition, addressing customer needs for taste, pricing, and scalability.
• Scalability: The company has demonstrated its technology’s industrial readiness, paving the way for scaled production and distribution.
• Stock market listing: Solar Foods was admitted to trading on the Nasdaq Helsinki First North Growth Market in September 2024, enabling execution and financing of company’s growth strategy.

The company’s founding CEO, Pasi Vainikka, who has led the company since its inception, will continue in an important role at Solar Foods until the end of 2025. His responsibilities include ensuring a seamless transition for Jokela and bringing ongoing strategic initiatives to completion.

“As the first employee of Solar Foods, and one of the co-founders of this amazing growth story, I am naturally very proud of what we have accomplished together with the team so far. Bringing a new harvest to humankind is not a small feat. It’s a big deal.” said Vainikka. “It was obvious from the very beginning that we were working with a truly global opportunity. As a significant shareholder of Solar Foods, this leadership transition, together with the other recently announced management changes, demonstrates that we are fully committed to the swift execution of the strategy announced in late 2024. Building on the strong foundation laid over the past seven years, the company is now, under Rami’s leadership, ready for a significant expansion – first in the United States and then in other markets around the World. Even beyond Earth.”

Solar Foods’ Management Team as of 1 April 2025 will consist of:

• Rami Jokela, Chief Executive Officer
• Ilkka Saura, Chief Financial Officer
• Petri Tervasmäki, Chief Technology Officer
• Tiia Kuusimäki, Chief Operating Officer
• Troels Nørgaard, Chief Strategy Officer
• Juan Manuel Benitez-Garcia, Chief Commercial Officer
• Laura Sinisalo, Chief Experience Officer
• Juha-Pekka Pitkänen, Chief Scientific Officer

Additional information: Juha Lindfors, Chairman of the Board, +358 40 519 4513

Images for editorial use: https://solarfoods.com/media/

Solein is an all-purpose protein grown with the air we breathe: The unique bioprocess takes a single microbe, one of the billion different ones found in nature, and grows it by fermenting it using air and electricity. Solein is a nutritionally rich and versatile ingredient which can replace protein virtually in any food. Solein can also be used as a fortifier to complement the nutritional profile of various foods: it can be a source of iron, fiber and B vitamins, and it can also bring different techno-functionalities into food products. www.solein.com.

Solar Foods produces protein using carbon dioxide and electricity. Solein® production, independent of weather and climate conditions, liberates global protein production from the constraints of traditional agriculture. Solar Foods was founded in Finland in 2017. The company is listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland. www.solarfoods.com