Nebraska-based ethanol giant Green Plains Inc. and its Optimal Aquafeed division have signed an exclusive partnership deal with Japanese feed supplier Hayashikane Sangyo to produce high-protein feeds for land-based aquaculture projects.
The companies say they aim to deliver innovative solutions for fast-growing global aquaculture markets using technology developed and deployed in Japanese production allied with Green Plains’ "ultra-high protein" ingredients produced at its biorefineries.
“Our partnership with Hayashikane is another step in our total transformation strategy to develop value-added ingredients, including the use of our 50 percent and greater ultra-high protein products as a cornerstone feed delivery mechanism to the aquaculture industry,” said Todd Becker, president and CEO of Green Plains.
Green Plains is one of the largest ethanol producers in the United States. Hayashikane Sangyo, meanwhile, is one of Japan's largest aquaculture feed suppliers.
The partners will target the needs of land-based producers and others.
“We believe in the growth potential of aquaculture around the world, especially the recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) market in North America,” Hayashikane Sangyo President Tetsuji Nakabe said.
Green Plains estimates its ethanol production capacity at around 1.1 billion gallons a year across 13 US plants.
Distillers grains used in some cases to produce aquafeed are a main co-product of Green Plains’ ethanol production. The company annually produces in the region of 3.1 million tons of distillers grains.
