The Danish fish feed producer Aller Aqua A/S has recently finalized the first step of a large investment in Gollsen, Germany (South of Berlin).

Aller Aqua Technology Aps., a daughter company in the Aller Aqua Group, own approximately half of the new company, Emsland-Aller Aqua GmbH, in Germany. The other half is owned by the German potato starch producer, Emsland-Stärke GmbH, one of the largest of its kind in Europe, with an annual turnover of more than €300 million.

The German activities are managed from the Danish side by CEO and owner of Aller Aqua A/S, Hans Erik Bylling, and managing director of Aller Aqua Technology Aps., Henrik Halken

“Aller Aqua is among the largest producers of quality feed for aquaculture in Scandinavia and Europe. We export to more than 35 countries worldwide. With this investment in Germany we are speeding up our growth ambitions in the group and will be prepared to meet future challenges and strategies”, he said.

Aller Aqua Technology was established in October 2006 with the purpose of being a developer company and initiate new projects in the Aller Aqua Group.  “We are trying to find interesting and relevant possibilities all around the world”, Halken said. “Aller Aqua has more than 40 years of experience in fish feed production and management of international companies. We want to use this knowledge in Aller Aqua Technology to establish new factories, license production and supply of raw materials to selected partners. We have already started one license production of fish feed abroad and are looking into establishment of new companies, where we can fulfil our strategy and objectives”.

The reasons for starting the protein project in Germany are many. “First of all, we have created a nice product with a protein content of 75-80% and an excellent amino acid profile”, Halken explained.

“All anti nutritional factors are removed in the production process we use. Therefore, from a technical and nutritional point of view we have a product with many application opportunities: fish feed, piglet-feed, pet food and so forth”.

Another reason Halken gave was the turmoil being experienced in the raw material markets these days. “Prices are changing rapidly, some products are on allocation and so on. Therefore, we have to focus more on the raw material supply in the future. Pea protein is an ingredients to which feed producers could give further consideration”.

Halken sees projected growth in aquaculture of  8-10% and greater consumption of fish in the years to come as well as a focus on the sustainability of wild fisheries as all positive for aquaculture production and Aller Aqua’s companies.

“But again, this leads to a higher pressure on the raw materials and the availability of these”, he notes. “Estimates say that more than 60% of the fishmeal output by 2010 will be consumed in fish feed.  This will lead to a focus on alternatives”.

“We have already contacts with a lot of potential clients, so that is a good start. It tells us that we have a good product and that our timing is good. These are two important factors to achieve success!”

“We have been producing pea protein this last month – and it looks promising”.

The next step in the project is the establishment of a state of the art fish feed factory next to the protein factory in order to use the synergies in logistics, administration and so on.

Aller Aqua is currently negotiating with construction companies, extruder suppliers etc. “When all this is done and all permits are ready, we will start the construction”, Halken said.

“We feel very welcome in Germany in the area around Berlin, and we have an excellent cooperation with the authorities, who are very interested in getting this project realized;  so hopefully we can also soon start the production of fish feed in Emsland-Aller Aqua GmbH”, Halken said, adding “by the  way, when finished, our mill in Germany will be the only fish feed factory on German ground”.