EW Nutrition acquires majority stake in Turkish feed supplier

German feed additives group, EW Nutrition, said it has acquired 51% of the shares in ICON, a company specialized in feed solutions for the Turkish livestock market.

The deal was signed at the end of last month. The company will be renamed EW ICON.

Michael Gerrits, MD EW Nutrition, said Turkey was one of the company’s strategic markets.

“The partnership with ICON will accelerate our business, especially our activities assisting our clients in reducing the use of antibiotics. The ICON team is well established in the market and has shown its customer oriented results the last years. Its solid supplier portfolio constitutes a strong basis for continued growth."

ICON was only established in 2013. It is based in Ankara. Its targets Turkey’s poultry, ruminant and fish sectors. Its product portfolio consists of toxin binders, organic acids, yeast products, sweeteners and coated products among others.

The Alltech 2018 global feed survey shows ruminant feed production dominates in Turkey, with beef trumping dairy in that respect. Next largest is broiler feed, followed by production for layers, and then feed for fish farming.

That survey registered an increase in the number of feed mills operating in Turkey, going from 452 in 2016 to 512 facilities in 2017. Total feed output in that market last year was 19.1 million metric tons.