The city of Turnhout has granted coffee company Miko a building permit for a new factory along the E34 motorway. It will be the first in the world to roast all its beans using wind energy generated in-house.
Kanton Turnhout
Coffee roaster to operate on wind power after permit for new factory is approved
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After years of waiting, Miko has finally been granted a building permit for the new factory. “This is great news. We have been working on these plans since before the coronavirus pandemic,” says CEO Frans Van Tilborg.
The company’s existing site is located in the city between residential areas, and is now moving to an industrial estate next to the E34 to manage its expected growth. The new factory will be larger than the current one, with a surface area of 20,000 square metres.
Despite rising prices for coffee beans, the coffee market continues to grow
“Despite rising prices for coffee beans, the coffee market continues to grow,” says Van Tilborg. “We have acquired a number of smaller players, so we’re building our new factory with a view to growth and more employees in the future.”
Miko has already built a wind turbine on the new site. Van Tilborg: “We will use it to roast all our beans using wind energy. We will be the first in the world to do so. This is a strong example of technological progress in a traditional sector.”
Now that the building permit has been granted, Miko is looking for a contractor. “We hope that construction can start in the first half of 2026,” says Van Tilborg. “We are investing around €40 million in the project.”
