Alternative feed ingredients supplier Calysta has joined forces with Thai Union Group to offer the world its first taste of farmed shrimp nourished with protein produced from natural gas. The companies celebrated their collaboration at Seafood Expo Global in Brussels on May 8, serving visitors pan-fried shrimp raised on Calysta feed and inputs derived from Thai Union tuna byproducts.
Thai Union’s Jiraphat Chareonvootitam is about to enjoy the taste of shrimp farm-raised on Calysta’s FeedKind protein.
Calysta’s FeedKind, which is just as nutritious for terra firma livestock, is made via a patented natural gas fermentation platform. Produced using very little land and water by fermenting natural gas, an abundant source of energy, it is a safe, nutritious, highly digestible, traceable and price competitive protein which has been commercially validated through extensive trials.
Originally developed in Norway for the Atlantic salmon industry, FeedKind Aqua protein has been extensively tested and has a proven ability to support a healthy gut. The protein does not contain any anti-nutritional factors and can help feed formulators reduce fishmeal levels even further. Improvements in feed efficiency have been seen in several studies and may drive reductions in feed consumption at the farm level.
FeedKind protein is composed of naturally occurring microorganisms, is non-GMO, and does not include any animal derived byproducts. It has an extremely high nutrient density with 71% crude protein and 9% crude fat. As a replacement for other high protein ingredients in animal trials, FeedKind protein has increased growth rates and improved feed efficiency.
The use of the sustainable alternative protein enables shrimp farmers to increase output without putting extra pressure on ocean resources, as it replaces fishmeal made from marine species specifically harvested to supply protein in shrimp feed.
“Thai Union is one of the world’s largest seafood producers and, like us, they are committed to improving sustainability and traceability in the shrimp farming industry – making this partnership a significant moment for the seafood sector,” said Dr. Alan Shaw, president and chief executive officer of Menlo Park, California-based Calysta.
Dr. Darian McBain, global director of corporate affairs and sustainability at Bangkok-headquartered Thai Union, remarked: “Aquaculture is key to providing a sustainable form of protein for the growing global population. Ensuring that the feed inputs to aquaculture are sustainable, as well as the production methods, is vital.”
She added: “In line with our SeaChange sustainability strategy, Thai Union is always looking for innovative ways to bring greater traceability and more sustainable products to market. By working with FeedKind, we are able to offer shrimp that have been grown using feed that has completely replaced the fish caught for fishmeal in the feed with an innovative alternative protein. The fact that the protein has a unique carbon signature that helps provide traceability and reduce seafood fraud are other significant benefits.”
Rising Sales
The company, a major packer of frozen shrimp for retail and foodservice operators and the world’s largest marketer of shelf-stable tuna products, employs over 47,000 people and generated sales topping THB 133.3 billion (US $4.1 billion) last year.
Net profit of THB 1,273 million during the first quarter of 2019 was up by 46.5% over the same period in 2018. Gross profit amounted to THB 4,382 million, up 29.3% year on year.
Thai Union reported that growth was largely driven by strong sales volume in frozen and chilled seafood segments (+3.4%), in addition to the pet care sector (+7.5%). Gross profit margin was 14.9% in Q1, compared to 11.6% during the same quarter in 2018.
The company’s global brand portfolio includes Chicken of the Sea, John West, Petit Navire, Parmentier, Mareblu, King Oscar, and Rügen Fisch. Popular domestic labels are SEALECT, Fisho, Qfresh, Monori, Bellotta and Marvo.
Promoting FeedKind fed shrimp at the Thai Union stand in Brussels are (left to right) Allan LeBlanc, vice president of Calysta and FeedKind product manager; Tracy Cambridge, responsible sourcing director for Thai Union in Europe; Chef Stephen Parkins-Knight; Alan Shaw, president and ceo of Calysta; and Scott Solar, director of culinary development at Thai Union.
