On the opening day of the Global Shrimp Forum, BioMar, Innovafeed, and Auchan announced a partnership for large-scale integration of insect protein into commercial shrimp feed in Ecuador. This milestone marks a turning point for both the insect and aquaculture industries, showing that insect protein is a viable part of the solution in responsible and resilient shrimp farming.
Insect meal is much more than a protein source; it contains functional nutrients like antimicrobial peptides. Recent research from BioMar showed a unique functional benefit in shrimp feeds, making it possible to substitute it with a similarly valued ingredient currently in use.
This discovery offers insect meal a viable market entry position in shrimp feeds at its current market value. From there, it’s possible to scale insect meal and hopefully be market competitive in the protein ingredient segment in the future, but for now, it can play a vital role in the functional ingredient segment in aquafeeds.
As part of this industry-first initiative, Auchan, one of Europe’s leading retailers, will support the rollout by integrating shrimp raised on this next-generation feed into its responsible sourcing strategy and product offering, expecting it to be available during 2026.
Clément Ray, CEO and co-founder of Innovafeed and Elizaveta Le Floch, chief business officer, stated that “this partnership is a defining moment not just for Innovafeed, but for the entire insect and aquaculture industries. By combining our technology with BioMar’s aquafeed expertise and Auchan’s retail leadership, we’re proving that sustainable shrimp farming can be scaled, economically viable, and consumer-ready.”
Henrik Aarestrup, VP LATAM Shrimp & Hatchery, BioMar Group, added that “in BioMar, we believe in the sustainable future of the aquaculture industry and alternative ingredients like insect meal play a vital role in this. Working together with Auchan and Innovafeed, we have established a viable commercial model for insect meal. It was important to design a scalable model that leveraged the unique functional benefits of black soldier fly in shrimp diets. Any shrimp farmer purchasing BioMar feeds from Ecuador can leverage this commercial opportunity.”
Laurent Francony, Group CSR executive director at Auchan Retail, commented, “We are committed to responsible sourcing and see this partnership as a tangible step toward better food for our customers and the planet. Supporting more sustainable aquaculture practices through our shrimp supply chains is perfectly aligned with our long-term vision.”
Strategic growth amid industry challenges
This tripartite commitment marks a significant leap toward scaling insect-based solutions as a cornerstone of tomorrow’s food system. “It reflects the shared ambition of key players in aquaculture, agritechnology, and retail to accelerate the shift toward a circular, resilient, and low-impact protein model, reducing dependence on wild-caught fish and conventional agricultural resources, while upholding rigorous sustainability standards and promoting responsible shrimp farming,” the companies said in a press release.
With this new partnership, Auchan reaffirms its commitment, having launched the world’s first trout fed with insect protein in 2018. "This partnership represents a significant step forward in demonstrating that insect-based ingredients are not only technically viable but also widely accepted by leading retailers and feed producers. It illustrates the new maturity of the black soldier fly industry: only a few years ago, such collaborations were possible only on small value chains, such as trout in France; today, we can scale them up to much larger industries, like Ecuadorian shrimp, delivering high-performing, natural feed with a low footprint," Innovafeed said. "We believe it will accelerate the adoption and commercialization of insect protein across aquaculture by showcasing its scalability, its nutritional benefits, and its role in reducing pressure on marine resources."
Amid financial struggles in the insect industry, this partnership marks a positive step forward. "Meeting this partnership’s demand will represent a significant part of our output. At the same time, we are actively exploring opportunities for expansion in Europe and internationally to support future growth and increasing demand," Innovafeed explained.
"We are focused on making this collaboration with BioMar and Auchan a success. The model also has strong potential for replication in other regions and with other partners, and we are already seeing significant interest globally. In fact, initiatives are already underway in several countries and continents to replicate this value chain model, in some cases going even further, by building entirely local and circular supply chains where BSF technology transforms organic waste into high-value proteins, oils, and fertilizers. This demonstrates both the scalability of the model and the ability, with the right partners, to turn vision into reality," Innovafeed concluded.
