Phytobiotics hoping to capitalize on recent GRAS approval for broiler additive in US

German feed additives producer, Phytobiotics, says strong data will help it expand its presence in the US poultry sector.

The company, which is represented at IPPE “for the first time” in Atlanta this month, has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) approval for its Sangrovit G Premix product for broilers in the US since March 2015, and said it is continuing to work on additional approvals for poultry there.

Its Sangrovit line comprises plant derived micro-granules that are said to increase feed intake and thus promote animal growth, meat quality and yield.

“One of the most favorable aspects of using Sangrovit G Premix is the benefit it has in a variety of different poultry production strategies. We have excellent data supporting its use in both traditional — in combination with antibiotics — and alternative — antibiotic free and/or organic — poultry production. 

Over the next year, we hope to obtain registration for use and to introduce our water-soluble Sangrovit product for use in broilers with subsequent registration in turkeys and commercial layers,” Jocelyn Romano, poultry account manager, Phytobiotics North America, told us.

In a previous interview, back in September, the director of the German company said it is chasing a global turnover of €120m within five years’ time fueled by its entry into the US, additional Chinese demand and further bans on antibiotic growth promoters in many markets.

The Eltville headquartered company’s current annual turnover is around €40m.

Expanded facility

Its expanded production plant for the Sangrovit line in Neuendettelsau in Bavaria went live in autumn 2015. Investments, to the tune of €7m, in new buildings, machines and technology as well as in steerage control are expected to help it meet the 2020 growth targets. 

The original production facility, which had been built in 2005, had reached its capacity limits. “We had to outsource production in the past to deal with demand pressures. Now we expect to have enough capacity for at least the next 10 years,” Roth told us then.

The new technology, he added, enables the company to further enhance the Sangrovit product line.

The director also said R&D investment at the company remains significant — around €2m globally is ploughed into personnel and various animal nutrition and fermentation studies: “We have established research partnerships with well-respected universities in the US on projects such as Salmonella and coccidiosis control and we are currently sponsoring four PhD theses in several countries from Thailand to Bangladesh.”

Along with a joint venture production facility in China, Phytobiotics has a premix plant in Brazil and sales offices in both those markets as well. It also has a sales presence in the US, Russia, Thailand, Denmark, France and Nigeria.