IFFO membership now stretches across sixty countries, with companies ranging from the world’s largest fish oil and fish meal producers to local traders, financial institutions and new emerging markets such as algae-derivatives. And yet this growth has happened while consolidation, mergers and acquisitions have reduced the number of companies producing marine ingredients.
Over fifty years ago, when IFFO was first formed, originally as the International Association of Fish Meal Manufacturers, there was no aquaculture industry using fishmeal as a key ingredient of farmed fish feed and fish oil was not yet considered as a health supplement for human diets.
Both are now major markets and have stimulated a widening of the raw materials used to produce the valuable marine proteins and oils. At the same time, the markets have more choices and expect more transparency than ever before, creating challenges and opportunities for the industry.
From a historical base in Europe and later Latin America, USA and South Africa, we are now engaging companies in Asia, with our South East Asia base growing through our Beijing office with new members including CP Foods, the largest feed producer in Asia, and Haid Group, one of China’s top five feed companies.
Another key factor has been the need for third party certification to demonstrate responsible sourcing of raw materials and good manufacturing practice. The IFFO Responsible Supply Scheme, launched in 2009, has also attracted many companies and represents approximately 40 per cent of the global production, with over 100 plants certified by independent audit against the standard.
To ensure that IFFO continues to represent the leading companies within the sector, we practice a strict screening process for all applications along with a Code of Conduct for existing members. With our strong history and the continuing growth of this industry, we look forward to serving our members for the next fifty years.
