Calysseo, a joint venture between Adisseo and Calysta, will initially produce 20,000 tonnes of protein per year from the facility in Chongqing, China. With startup operations complete, the fermenter will become world’s largest single protein production facility.
FeedKind protein gives aquaculture companies a product that both helps preserve biodiversity while providing a high-quality product that addresses growing market need.
First deliveries, of FeedKind Aqua, will be made to customers soon, making it the first alternative fermented protein to address the sector at scale.
Jean-Marc Dublanc, CEO of Adisseo, said: “Food security has increasingly come under the spotlight in recent months, but we are now entering a new era of sustainable food production. Calysseo brings to the market a new way of making high-quality protein – and does so using a naturally-occurring microbe that makes the resulting protein non-GMO, something that is increasingly demanded through the supply chain.
“We have a long-running commitment to improving the security and sustainability of the feed ingredient market and Calysseo fulfils a significant part of that pledge. We will provide Chinese customers with a reliable, domestically available supply of protein that meets their specific needs; produced in China for China.
“We are looking forward to working with our customers as they begin to integrate this product into their supply chains.”
The microbial protein is produced via a natural fermentation, which takes place inside a novel high-capacity u-loop reactor patented by Calysta. It answers an increasing need for a sustainable source of protein to meet the demands of a growing global population coupled with increased concerns about preserving biodiversity.
Because it needs no plant or animal matter and little water, it can be produced without impacting wild spaces.
The Chongqing facility will produce FeedKind Aqua for use in fish farming, allowing farmers to replace fishmeal and soy with a high-quality ingredient that needs no arable land and no plant matter. Initially, production will be available for use in China, the world’s largest aquaculture market.
Alan Shaw, co-founder, CEO and president of Calysta, said in a press release: “Today is an incredibly proud moment. We have spent the last 10 years perfecting our technology and it is exciting to have successfully switched on the world’s first industrial-scale alternative protein fermenter. This is a huge step as we aim to help make the world more food secure.
“Cellular agriculture, where protein is grown in a controlled environment, is key to helping the world meet its future food needs and we are proud to be taking the first steps on our journey to hyper-scaling this technology with Adisseo, who we look forward to working with for many years to come.
“This is an exciting time for Calysta as a whole, as we continue to work on bringing a host of additional protein ingredients for food and feed applications to market.”
FeedKind Aqua will address a growing need for protein ingredients in the rapidly expanding global aquaculture market, which is experiencing strong growth and is expected to become the third largest animal protein source, accounting for more than 100 million tonnes of production.
The protein has been validated over several years following extensive trials across several popular aquaculture species, including seabass, bream, and salmon. Thailand’s Kasetsart University, Thailand, recently found distinct benefits for shrimp, saying FeedKind promotes strong, healthy growth, while also helping activate shrimp’s immune response to Vibrio, the causative agent of early mortality syndrome (EMS). Since it was discovered in 2009, EMS has wreaked havoc on the Asian aquaculture market, causing billions of dollars in losses.
