The design for Volare's insect protein production plant, due to begin operation in Finland during 2024, with Skretting as one of its main customers.
Photo: Volare.
Aquaculture feed manufacturer Skretting has entered into a strategic partnership with Finnish insect ingredient producer Volare, focusing on the sustainability of Norwegian salmon feeds.
As part of the agreement, Skretting has acquired a considerable share of the capacity from Volare's upcoming industrial facility in Finland, which is due to begin operation during 2024.
The collaboration aligns with Skretting's goals to develop more sustainable aquafeed solutions and to improve the nutritional quality of their products, the companies said in a press release.
The initiative addresses a critical aspect of salmon farming: its carbon footprint. About 75% of salmon aquaculture's carbon emissions come from feed, with the majority originating from raw materials.
Skretting's strategy of incorporating sustainable ingredients into their feeds is in line with the Norwegian government's sustainability objectives for the feed industry.
Volare's technology is notable for its efficiency, characterized by low energy consumption and the absence of wastewater production, avoiding the use of fossil fuels. This approach complements Skretting's efforts towards sustainability, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions as well as reliance on wild fish stocks in aquaculture feed production.
Volare's senior management team: CCO Jarna Hyvönen, CEO Tuure Parviainen and CTO Matti Tähtinen.
"We are constantly exploring sustainable raw materials, and this addition to our insect meal supply is significant," said Erling Johansen, Skretting Norway's purchasing manager for special ingredients.
"The scaling up of ingredient production by our new Nordic supplier is a positive development for the industry."
This partnership represents a shift in the feed industry's usual practices, which typically do not involve advance commitments, the companies point out. However, the pressing need for sustainable solutions has encouraged Skretting to take this proactive approach, aiming to improve the industry's sustainability.
Jarna Hyvönen, Chief Commercial Officer at Volare, said that a key aspect of the collaboration with Skretting is "their understanding of customer needs and our role in meeting these".
Looking ahead, Skretting and Volare view this partnership as the beginning of a long-term relationship. With Volare's demonstration facility in Finland set to start supplying ingredients in 2024, and plans for multiple factories across Europe by the end of the decade, the collaboration aims to make a significant positive impact on the aquaculture industry.
Volare is a Finnish science-based company developing and deploying technology to turn food industry side streams into sustainable insect protein, oil and fertilizers on industrial scale. Volare’s products replace unsustainable alternatives and make the food system circular. Volare was founded in 2021 and will start building the first industrial scale plant in 2024 in Southern Finland.
Skretting is the global leader in providing innovative and sustainable nutritional solutions for the aquaculture industry. Skretting has production facilities in 18 countries, and its 3,800 employees manufactures and delivers high quality feeds from hatching to harvest for more than 60 species. The head office is located in Stavanger, Norway.