Calysseo, a joint venture between alternative protein firm Calysta and Chinese-owned animal nutrition leader Adisseo, plans to build a 100,000-ton-capacity alternative protein facility in Saudi Arabia, in partnership with local firm Food Caravan.
Modeled on the plant the JV recently opened in Chongqing, China, which has an annual production capacity of 20,000 metric tons of plant-based aquafeed, the Saudi facility is set to come online by the end of 2026, pending construction licensing from Saudi Arabia. Described as a “fermenter” and located at Al Jubail, the plant will produce the FeedKind Aqua brand protein for the aquaculture market.
According to Calysta, a gas allocation has been provided for the plant from the Saudi Ministry of Energy – the FeedKind production process uses a form of gas fermentation. The project is being supported by the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia and the National Industrial Development Centre. The new project aligns with Saudi goals to ensure the country’s food security and to bring jobs and new technology to the kingdom, according to Food Caravan CEO Saleh Al-Shabnan.
According to Calysta, FeedKind is produced by “harnessing the power of a naturally occurring process that uses no animal or plant matter, requiring almost no water and no arable land, helping preserve biodiversity.”
Calysta Co-Founder, CEO, and President Alan Shaw said his company will continue to seek out opportunities for expansion.
“The world needs more sustainable protein, and to produce protein in places we are not currently able to,” he said. “Our patented fermentation technology is proven to produce a high-quality protein ingredient and thanks to the efficiencies of using a naturally occurring bacteria process, we are ready to rapidly scale up and meet that demand.”
Calysta has released numerous studies proving the efficacy of its protein ingredients as a functional, nutritious feed ingredient for sea bass, bream, largemouth bass, and salmon. A company statement also details how Kasetsart University in Thailand recently found “distinct benefits” for growing shrimp and suggested FeedKind helps activate shrimp’s immune response to vibrio, the causative agent of early mortality syndrome.
Calysta’s partner in the Calysseo joint venture, France-based Adisseo, is majority owned by Sinochem, a state-owned Chinese chemicals company with its own business ties with Saudi Arabia.
Photo courtesy of Calysseo
