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BioMar scales up microalgae use in flagship feed line

Global animal feed producer BioMar said it is moving microalgae out of its niche fish feed ingredient status.

The company’s facility in Brande, Denmark said it is scaling up the inclusion of microalgae in its raw material product portfolio in a bid to cut the dependence wild fish stocks.

“We see this as the birth stage for the next generation feeds with a highly sustainable profile from Brande,” said Anders Brandt-Clausen, managing director of BioMar Baltics. “Adding microalgae paves the way for the upcoming developments on our sustainable feeds that our farmers will directly benefit with a reduction in their own on-farm footprint.”

Marine ingredients such as fishmeal and fish oil are excellent sources of nutrients vital for fish nutrition, however they are finite resources. Including microalgae in feed diets provides fish long chain omega fatty acids and relieves the pressure on wild fish stocks.

“We are now delighted to increase the volumes we use significantly and raise the sustainability bar for our flagship products. Microalgae is no longer a novel idea, it has become a commercial reality,” said Brandt-Clausen.

The company also aims to produce aquafeeds that were 50 per cent circular and restorative by 2030. Circular raw materials are those originating from by-product and waste streams.

BioMar began selling feeds containing microalgae in 2016. By 2021 the company had produced one million tons of salmon feeds containing microalgae.