First industrial-scale FeedKind facility heralds new era of food security

Commissioning and start-up activities have commenced at what is the first industrial-scale FeedKind facility, to produce a new sustainable functional protein that does not use animal or plant ingredients in its production.

Calysseo, a joint venture between worldwide animal nutrition leader Adisseo and protein innovator Calysta, will produce 20,000 tons of FeedKind aqua protein annually from the facility in Chongqing, China.

The microbial protein is produced via a natural fermentation that does not use arable land, animal or plant matter, and uses very little water in its production. Initially, production will be available for use in China, the world’s largest aquaculture market.

FeedKind should be delivered to the first customers this year.

“This is a significant milestone as we move towards more sustainable forms of making food," commented Jean-Marc Dublanc, CEO of Adisseo. "Calysseo and FeedKind offer a world first, a newly available sustainable, nutritious, non-GMO protein that offers significant health benefits over other feed ingredients, such as improved gut health and improved immune response.”

FeedKind is part of a family of ingredients developed by Calysta, which harness the power of a naturally occurring microorganism that consumes low-cost, land-free carbon sources, converting it into a non-GMO, nutritionally rich protein, ideal for food and feed applications.

The global aquaculture market is experiencing strong growth and is expected to become the third largest animal protein source, accounting for more than 100 million tons of production.

Meanwhile, the human population is set to grow to 10 billion by 2050, meaning an increasing demand for proteins. “Cellular agriculture, where protein is grown in a controlled environment, is key to helping the world meet its future food needs," added Alan Shaw, the Co-founder, CEO & President of Calysta. "Today will go down in history as a hugely significant moment in the development and delivery of new, sustainable sources of protein to meet growing, global demand.

The strategic partnership between Adisseo and Calysta will directly address one of the most important opportunities in aquaculture – to provide high-quality seafood without adding extra pressure to the environment.

“Commencing commissioning and start-up activities of our maiden facility on schedule is a moment I’m incredibly proud of," commented Pierre Casamatta, Co-Managing Director of Calysseo. "We’re doing something that has never been achieved before at scale – to reach this milestone in such a short time during the enormously challenging implications of Covid-19 is incredibly rewarding and testament to the skill and commitment of the Calysseo team, and that of our JV partners.”

FeedKind has been validated over several years after 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.

Since it was discovered in 2009, EMS has wreaked havoc on the Asian aquaculture market, causing billions of dollars in losses.

Calysta’s protein platform is also approved for use in livestock feeds and pet food.

The JV partners are now focusing on bringing the next phase of the development forward, bringing output to 80,000 tons a year. First material from Calysseo is expected at the turn of the year.