USA – Royal DSM in collaboration with the Dutch industrial corporation have inaugurated US$200 million commercial facility in Blair, Nebraska dedicated to production of sustainable aquaculture feeds.
Veramaris is a 50-50 joint venture between DSM and Evonik formed last year to manufacture omega-3 solutions for the animal feed industry.
The new facility produces omega-3 fatty acids rich in EPA and DHA from natural marine algae for sustainable salmon farming.
The investment targets to reduce the pressure on wild fish stocks while addressing the growing global demand for quality and healthier seafood.
The Veramaris facility will have an initial production capacity equivalent to 1.2 million tons of wild-caught fish.
This amount meets around 15% of the global salmon farming industry’s annual demand for Omega-3 fatty acid, noted the companies.
The products also contribute to conserving the diversity in oceans, thus meeting the need for sustainable ways in aquaculture.
“I am pleased that together with Evonik we have reached a key milestone in turning the tide: through Veramaris, we are able to reduce the aquaculture industry’s reliance on the world’s finite fish oil resources for these vital omega-3 fatty acids,” said Feike Sijbesma, CEO/Chairman DSM Managing Board.
“This fit perfectly with our purpose-led performance driven strategy, focused on addressing the world’s biggest challenges while simultaneously creating economic, environmental and societal value for all our stakeholders.”
According to the companies, three billion people today rely on marine fish for food especially salmon which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA- vital for brain, eye and heart health.
Growth of the fish farming industry is driven by growing demand for seafood and the consequent pressure on overfishing.
Furthermore, the limited wild fish stocks restrict the amount of fish oil available and thus the growth of the aquaculture industry.
DSM brings expertise in algae production as well as fermentation technology while Evonik is a leader in development of industrial biotechnology processes including fermentative amino acids.
“In Veramaris, we have combined the competencies of two strong partners to make an innovative contribution to the healthy nutrition of the world’s growing population, without putting any further burden on our oceans,” said Christian Kullmann, chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik.
The Veramaris production facility features zero-waste production, utilizing by-products in sustainable applications, such as biogas and cattle feed.
