Construction will soon begin in Germany on Europe's largest and most modern indoor shrimp farm, a collaboration between shrimp farming startup Aquapurna and German chemical company K+S.
Located in Sigmundshall near Hanover, the farm will be built on K+S-owned land which was formerly a mining site for potash production.
K+S is one of Europe's largest producers of chemical ingredients for fertilizers, and is also involved in strategic investments, including as a founding partner of agritech accelerator Rootcamp Innovation Hub in Hanover. Aquapurna received support from Rootcamp, which led to the companies joining forces on the Sigmundshall project.
K+S says it is committing a substantial investment in the sustainable project, falling within the "low double-digit million euro range", and will take on the roles of builder, landlord, and media supplier for the new farm. Meanwhile, Aquapurna has secured an additional seven-figure investment from private backers, the companies said in their announcement.
Aquapurna has been conducting intensive research and development for over four years at its R&D facility located at the Sigmundshall site.
The company has implemented a vertically integrated larviculture system with all stages of shrimp production, from egg to plate, taking place in Germany. Aquapurna's shrimp are currently marketed in Germany under the brand name "Gamba Zamba".
The startup is also engaged in a technology partnership with Denmark's Billund Aquaculture, one of the world market leaders in land-based aquaculture, and says scaling up to its first large-scale farm "is now the next logical step".
“Together with the globally operating industrial company K+S, we are making a significant contribution to sustainable and autonomous food supply in Europe,” said David Gebhard, Managing Director of Aquapurna.
Co-Managing Director Florian Gösling added: “K+S shares our conviction of a better world through the sustainable use of green technologies.”
The new shrimp facility will be constructed in three phases, Aquapurna said, with the final farm consisting of two production halls of around 18,000 square meters each producing up to 800 tonnes of shrimp per year and creating 50 on-site jobs.
In the first construction phase from 2024 to mid-2025, the partners intend to construct the first production hall together with a 4,000 m2 supply and infrastructure wing.
The new facility is designed to be as environmentally sustainable as possible. Aquapurna will use modern recirculation technology for the grow-out process, intending to continuously reuse 98% of the grow-out water. The production hall roofs will also be fitted with solar panels for electricity generation.
The startup said it also intended to continue operating and expanding its existing shrimp facility at the Sigmundshall site, including its R&D centre. The partners are also evaluating increasing capacity of Aquapurna's existing hatchery, and possible use of further K+S infrastructure, including a training centre.
“We are very pleased that with Aquapurna, we will be establishing a sustainable business model in our Innopark on a large scale, which also meets the interests of the stakeholders in this region,” says Carsten Möller, Head of the Sigmundshall site and the Innopark.
“The project is a perfect strategic step for K+S for the subsequent use of the existing infrastructure at the former Sigmundshall potash site,” added Saban Bala, who is responsible for the further development of the Innopark at K+S.