- Deep Branch and BioMar have signed a long-term agreement to redefine conventional aquaculture feed ingredients and improve the aquaculture industry.
- The partnership’s initial focus will be to optimise salmon feed using Proton™, a single cell protein developed by Deep Branch.
- Deep Branch and BioMar will conduct a wide range of nutritional assessments to test the performance and digestibility of the protein-rich ingredient for fish health and growth.
NOTTINGHAM, UK – Deep Branch and BioMar have signed a long-term technical and commercial partnership to redefine traditional aquaculture feed ingredients and improve the aquaculture industry’s efficiency, profitability and sustainability. The immediate focus of the cooperation will be to optimise salmon feed using Proton™, a single cell protein developed by Deep Branch for the feed industry, as a primary protein source.
Deep Branch uses clean and renewable carbon and energy sources to create ingredients for a more sustainable food system. The company has established strong partnerships across the value chain as it deploys its proprietary technology with a clear scale-up roadmap. By collaborating with local providers of strategic raw materials, Deep Branch ensures demand for food and feed can be met sustainably, without customers compromising on nutrition or quality.
BioMar is a leading supplier of aquaculture feed driving the uptake of sustainable feeds through its Blue Impact diets. The company encourages and stimulates regenerative practices in its supply chain and has set targets for the minimum inclusion of circular and restorative ingredients in its products. Furthermore, BioMar is aiming to decouple feed supply chains from environmental degradation and directly competing with food for human consumption.
To kick off the partnership, Deep Branch will transport Proton™ from its facility in the Netherlands to BioMar’s Technology Centre in Denmark to produce Proton™-based feed until the end of 2022. The companies will conduct a full suite of nutritional assessments in Denmark, Norway and the UK to test the protein-rich ingredient. These tests will focus on performance, digestibility and other parameters essential for fish health and growth.
Commenting on the partnership, Deep Branch’s CEO Pete Rowe said:
“The world needs to move from making pledges to taking action, and we are passionate about industrial ecology underpinning the next generation of food production. We see BioMar as a key partner in bringing Proton™ to market as its ambitious targets and commitment to collaboration fully align with ours.”
“Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We have a unique opportunity to create new value chains and ensure this is a net positive for all stakeholders. Our partnership with BioMar will create a powerful message for potential upstream partners that supplying hydrogen and carbon dioxide to our facilities can directly decarbonise our food systems.”
Paddy Campbell, VP Salmon at BioMar Group, added:
“At BioMar, we’re constantly seeking innovative raw materials that don’t compete with human food production and using nutrients from by-products that minimise waste. So we’re excited to have established this strategic partnership with Deep Branch.”
“Deep Branch is a company that shares our vision and passion for a sustainable food and aquaculture system. Driving a breakthrough innovation such as Proton™ requires collaboration across the value chain, and we look forward to working together to make Proton™ a commercial reality in our aquafeeds.”
Both Deep Branch and BioMar are part of the end-to-end, value chain-wide REACT-FIRST consortium, supported by grant funding from Innovate UK. The REACT-FIRST programme is designed to obtain critical data on the cost, digestibility, nutritional quality and carbon footprint of Proton™ and is the first step towards the ingredient’s commercial development.
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About Deep Branch:
Deep Branch creates sustainable, high-value food and feed ingredients to support a more sustainable food system. The company’s proprietary technology uses CO2 and hydrogen as clean and renewable carbon and energy sources to deliver next-generation bio-based products.
Founded in 2018, Deep Branch has approximately 30 staff based in the UK and the Netherlands. It works with feed producers in industries such as aquaculture and partners with upstream companies such as CO2 suppliers to deploy its technology efficiently and safely. Deep Branch has already established relationships with major international stakeholders, including Drax, BioMar and Sainsbury’s.
For more information, visit: https://deepbranch.com/
About BioMar Group:
BioMar are innovators in high performance aquaculture feed dedicated to doing our part in creating a healthy and sustainable global aquaculture industry. BioMar operates 17 feed factories across the globe in Norway, Chile, Denmark, Scotland, Spain, France, Greece, Turkey, China, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Australia. Worldwide, we supply feed to around 90 countries and for more than 45 different species. BioMar is wholly owned by the Danish industrial group Schouw & Co, which is listed on the NASDAQ, Copenhagen.
Learn more about BioMar: https://www.biomar.com/
