Calysta breaks ground on Chinese production site, String Bio tests novel protein with feed companies
US headquartered single cell protein (SCP) producer, Calysta, has begun construction on the production facility in China it is operating with Adisseo through a JV while India based SCP startup, String Bio, is running validation trials with a major poultry player in that market.
The strategic partnership between Adisseo, a subsidiary of China National BlueStar, and Calysta – Calysseo - is building the first facility to produce Calysta’s protein feed ingredient, FeedKind. The site is located in the Changshou National Economic and Technological Development Area, Chongqing City.
Delegates gathered at the site for a ceremony to mark the beginning of construction yesterday [January 6].
FeedKind is generated using microbes processed through gas fermentation, and, in that context, Calysseo has secured a long-term contract with a leading Chinese gas company, a spokesperson told us.
The output of the Calysseo facility, when operational, will be for exclusive supply to Asia and will service the Asian aquaculture sector, which represents more than 70% of the world’s aquafeed market.
The new facility, set to be up and running in 2022, will deliver 20,000 tons of FeedKind protein in its first phase. A second phase will bring an additional 80,000 tons of capacity.
Adisseo and Calysta say FeedKind is a premium product that offers several benefits over other feed ingredients. “Specifically, it is a traceable, nutritionally complete non-GMO feed ingredient that is truly sustainable, using no arable land and almost no water in its production. As such, it will be price competitive to its value compared to other feeds.”
Protein innovation in India
Meanwhile, Bangalore based String Bio, another methane to protein feed player, revealed that it has been working with global feed manufacturers on testing and validation of its microbial protein for various animal nutrition applications including poultry and aquaculture since it established its pilot fermentation facility in that city last year.
In particular, the protein company has collaborating with Srinivasa Farms, an India based poultry production, breeding, and animal feed player, and which, as part of its long-term growth strategy, is evaluating high quality and traceable protein ingredients in its feed, said String Bio.
The SCP innovator said it is leveraging the deep industry and nutrition knowledge that Srinivasa has in terms of validation of its protein for use in poultry feeds.
Suresh Chitturi, MD of Srinivasa Farms and also chairman of the International Egg Commission, commented on the collaborative effort with the Indian startup “We are steadfast focused on making our industry more sustainable. We are excited to collaborate with String Bio whose technology can take a huge environmental issue and convert it into a tremendously positive solution.”
