The F3 Fish-Free Feed Challenge has announced the results of the first round of its competition, which focused on sales.
The challenge is a multi-stage contest to innovate and sell fish-free feed for the aquaculture industry. A first prize of USD 200,000 (EUR 189,000) will be awarded to the first team to produce and sell 100,000 metric tons of aquafeed that does not contain marine animal meal or oil by 15 September, 2017. This prize is intended to spark innovation in the aquafeed industry to find sustainable alternative protein sources that reduce pressure on ocean ecosystems to supply aquaculture fish-feed components and help meet future global food security needs.
China-based Guangfong Evergreen Feed Industry Co. is leading the pack of competitors with more than 48,000 metric tons of fish-free feed sold during the first sales reporting phase that ran from 1 May to 31 December, 2016. Myanmar-based Htoo Thit Co. and Biomin tied for second place with 28,000 metric tons of fish free-feed sold.
Contestants from Thailand, Indonesia, China, South Africa, Australia, Pakistan, Myanmar, the Netherlands and the U.S. are advancing to the second sales reporting stage of the multi-stage contest to develop fish-free feed for the aquaculture industry. The next sales submission deadline is 15 April, 2017.
The F3 Fish-Free Feed Challenge launched in November 2015 on the HeroX crowdfunding site to encourage innovation of alternative ingredients for aquaculture fish-feeds that are as nutritious and healthy to fish and consumers as conventional fish-based feeds, according to a press release from the competition organizers.
“The contest is intended to help catalyze the development and sale of viable cost-competitive aquafeeds free of fishmeal and fish oils,” it said.
One competitor has decided to leave the competition, with Belgium-based TomAlgae choosing to become a participant rather than a contestant of the F3 Challenge, “therefore no sales for the company are being reported,” according to event organizers. All sales reported during this first reporting period remain unverified. F3 challenge judges will verify that all feed sold are “fish-free” prior to any prizes being awarded.
