Alltech and Finnish circular economy company Finnforel are joining forces to acquire the Raisioaqua fish feed production facility from Finnish company Raisio. Raisioaqua manufactures environmentally friendly feed for aquaculture and specializes in functional feeding solutions that are suitable for northern conditions. The acquisition will complete Finnforel’s sustainable circular-economy fish-farming chain while also enhancing aquaculture producers’ access to Alltech’s nutritional technologies.
“Together with Finnforel, we will be enhancing the quality and availability of nutrition for sustainable aquaculture systems. Aqua producers will benefit from the strength of Alltech’s scientific research and commercial expertise globally, including a dedicated aqua nutrition research center, the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre (ACAC) in the Netherlands, which specializes in nutrition for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS),” said Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech.
“Finnforel and Alltech Coppens have been working together for several years on sustainable aquaculture practices,” said Ronald Faber, CEO of Alltech Coppens. “This joint acquisition reflects the ambition of both companies, our shared values and the strength of our partnership.”
Finnforel also specializes in RAS. What is unique about Finnforel’s solution is how it combines recirculating aquaculture with a complete, efficient, and functional fish farming chain in its own hands. “I believe that Finnforel’s well-honed model, which works without antibiotics or environmental emissions, can support a significant part of this market,” said Pekka Viljakainen, chairman of the board of Finnforel Oy.
“At the heart of Finnforel’s strategy are so-called gigafactories specialized in sustainable aquaculture,” said Viljakainen. “In these aquaculture gigafactories, the entire production chain is in our own hands, from the parent fish and the eggs they produce to the consumer products.”
“Feed developed in accordance with the principles of a sustainable circular economy represents the last link in the chain,” added Jussi Mekkonen, CEO of Finnforel Oy. “We have another new aquaculture facility that will be completed in spring 2023, after which we will be able to produce the eggs used in fish farming. Then, the entire fish-farming chain will be ready to be exported to the world.”
