Insect protein, following years of R&D work, is now seen as a promising new ingredient, one that is ready for industry wide adoption, said the partners.
“For insect meal to successfully make its way into aqua feeds, it must demonstrate high nutritional value and support good growth and health for fish and shrimp. We are working closely with BioMar to create the ideal product that will meet their ambitious sustainability parameters,” said Chris Haacke, director of business development, Agronutris.
Fernando Norambuena, global category manager, novel raw materials, BioMar, said that, in Agronutris, the Danish group has found a partner that shares its mission and dedication to reducing the environmental impacts of aqua feed production.
Also weighing in on the partnership was Vidar Gundersen, global sustainability director, BioMar. He said that a truly sustainable insect meal is one that is decoupled from the human food supply chain and fed off a substrate based on waste foods and by-products. “With Agronutris, we see a viable, scalable model for producing BSF meal.”
Industrial plant now operational
Agronutris’ production plant is located in Rethel in the Ardennes department, in northern France.
The site is very much at a European crossroads, close to the Belgian and German borders, with the company telling us previously that a key factor in choosing this location is the access to multiple different sources of insect rearing substrates. The factory intends to upcycle 70,000 tons of by-products from the local agri-food industry each year.
In December 2022, the biotech announced that it would release its first commercial products mid-way through this year, following 12 years of R&D effort, and significant industrial investment. Along with BSF meal, it produces lipids and frass for use as a fertilizer in organic farming.
Sustainability goals
BioMar has placed sustainability at the heart of its future strategy; it aims to have 50% of its ingredients coming from a circular and restorative economy and it wants to lower its feed carbon footprint by one third by 2030.
As novel raw material manufacturers continue to evolve their product offerings, Norambuena said that BioMar would be engaging in additional collaborations of this nature.
