Production of the new series, using WAM mixing technology, is located at the cooperative’s industrial facility in the Chemillois region, a center of medicinal and aromatic plant cultivation in France.
“The Ubigreen manufacturing process ensures standardization and reliability in the finished product, so the variability that can arise when using plant extracts is avoided,” Nor Feed Sud CEO, Olivier Clech, told feednavigator.
The Angers firm had already been sourcing raw materials from Adatris, and the move to team up on a dedicated product line "evolved out of an initial chat to structured discussions very quickly," he said.
Pilot to commercial scale in two years
Kick-started two years ago in a pilot plant set-up to test certain formulations and to define the quality parameters, Clech said the technology was scaled up in April this year when the partners were certain the high standards achieved could be replicated at an output level of 3,000 tons of extracts per year.
Nor Feed Sud’s botanical feed additive range includes grape extract antioxidants for oxidative stress reduction, citrus based prebiotics for gut health, and saponin extracts for optimizing meat and milk ouput.
“We take a different approach to other plant extract suppliers in that we can quantify, exactly, what is in our products – we commit on quality markers – and we don’t offer an exhaustive list of extracts,” added the CEO.
This week saw the supplier launch two additives at the SPACE livestock show in Rennes, France.
Citronin XO, it said, is a premixture of citrus extract and steroidal saponins, which is reported to improve the intestinal health of poultry, rabbits and calves. And the French firm said its citrus concentrate with prebiotic effect, Nor-Spice AB, is now available in a liquid form.
International activity
Nor-Feed Sud said its international commercial activity now represents over 50% of its turnover.
February this year saw it set up a subsidiary in Algeria to develop tailor-made active ingredients for the local feed market.
Nor Feed Maghreb has its own manufacturing facility based in the Tiaret province.
Sélim El Amouri, operational marketing at Nor Feed Sud, told this publication at the time: “The market approach of Nor-Feed Sud is four-fold: direct approach in some key markets, partnership with distributors in a number of countries, close B2B cooperation with a limited number of global players, and subsidiaries established with local entrepreneurs - Nor-Feed Maghreb being the first one.”
And Clech said the company would expect to make an announcement regarding further expansion for Nor Feed Sud within the next two months.