Aquaculture feed producers collaborate on nutrition solutions

Two leading aquaculture feed producers have agreed to share expertise and technology with each other to develop smarter, more sustainable nutrition solutions for aquaculture.

Coppens International, the Dutch aquatic feed producer acquired by Alltech in 2016, will be collaborating with Guabi, a leading fish feed producer in Brazil. They will share information on formulations, manufacturing techniques, and raw material and ingredient utilization.

Guabi has a particular expertise in extruded feeds and unique solutions for a wide variety of aquaculture species, from shrimp to native South America freshwater fish, said Alltech. Coppens meanwhile specialises in nutrition for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), in addition to a range of feeds incorporating Alltech’s sustainable alternatives to fish oil and inorganic trace minerals.

“The opportunities between Coppens, Guabi and Alltech are exciting,” said Paulo Rigolin, strategic director for Alltech, who worked on the collaboration between the two firms. “You have leaders in two different regions — Latin America and Europe — combining technology and expertise from more than 20 years of working in aquaculture.”

Guabi and Coppens have already begun discussing new opportunities, and it is expected that algae technology will be a significant focus, said Alltech. The company owns one of the world’s largest commercial algae production sites in Kentucky, USA.