NEWS 10 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2023 Novus acquires Agrivida to develop new feed additives Volare to build industrial-scale facility for circular protein Novus International acquired biotech company Agrivida, with which it started a commercial partnership two years ago. Global animal health and nutrition company Novus International, Inc. announced its acquisition of biotech company Agrivida Inc. Through the purchase, Novus takes ownership of the proprietary Interius™ technology Agrivida developed to embed feed additives inside grain. This move by Novus comes two years after it began a commercial partnership with Agrivida to support the sale of the start-up’s flagship product, Grainzyme®. “Since December 2020, we’ve taken the time to understand and explore what Interius™ technology is capable of,” said Novus President and CEO Dan Meagher. “With this technology we believe we can revolutionize the feed additive industry through the expression of high-value, functional proteins inside grain, providing new products that are sustainable, both environmentally and operationally.” While the category of functional proteins includes enzymes, which Agrivida has already accomplished through Grainzyme®, the Novus Innovation team is expanding the product offerings to include antibodies embedded in grain. “Single-domain antibodies present an opportunity to naturally address the health challenges producers face in antibiotic-reduced and antibiotic-free production. These antibodies are a challenge to produce cost-effectively and deliver to the animal in a sustainable way,” said Novus Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer Al Zimmerman. “Interius™ technology addresses these challenges by removing costly fermentation and coating processes as well as offers the potential to stack different antibodies and/or enzymes in a single corn product solution for the animal. Traditionally these efforts would require blended products, which would mean more processing and cost. The Interius™ technology delivers this benefit in a single ingredient – corn.” Read more>> Deeptech company Volare, which produces insect-based protein, plans to build its first industrial-scale facility in Järvenpää, Finland. When opened, the facility will produce about 5,000 tons of environmentally friendly protein and lipids annually. Volare’s circular protein is used in fish feed and pet foods among others. Volare’s mission is to bring true circularity into food production. The new facility aims to support this mission with an annual 5,000 ton production capacity of insect-based protein and lipids. “We produce high-quality protein and lipids from the side streams of food production, and this has an extremely positive impact on the environment. With the new facility, we will be able to respond to the growing demand of climate-friendly protein in Europe,” said Tuure Parviainen, Volare’s CEO. Volare has applied its insect-based protein to dog food and bird food. The products are also suitable for instance feed applications for fish and other animals. In 2022, Volare’s circular protein became available to consumers through Alvar Pet’s dog treat and Leo & Wolf ’s seed bar for birds. The company believes that by changing the diets of animals, it is possible to make the entire food chain more sustainable. Volare has applied its insect-based protein to dog food and bird food. The products are also suitable for instance feed applications for fish and other animals. Read more>>
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