F3 Challenge names its Carnivore Edition winners at GOAL 2022

Prizes awarded to contestants that produced and sold the most “fish-free” aquaculture feed

Three animal feed manufacturers (Star Milling Co, Empagran and Jiangsu Fuhai Biotech Co, Ltd.) were awarded a $100,000 grand prize each from the Future of Fish Feed (F3) in the F3 Challenge – Carnivore Edition. The F3 Challenge is the global seafood industry’s leading contest to spark innovation in the development and commercialization of aquaculture feeds free of fishmeal and fish oil to eliminate wild-caught fish in aquaculture feeds.

U.S.-based Star Milling Co. won for its non-GMO plant-based feed that contains omega-3 DHA-rich algae and heart-healthy flax oil for rainbow trout. China-based Jiangsu Fuhai Biotech uses its unique Fatide® product with dehulled full fat soybean fermented by microbes and enzymes for its largemouth bass feed. The Ecuadorian company Empagran won for its vegetarian recipe using Veramaris’ algal oil rich in EPA & DHA omegas for Pacific white shrimp.

Japan-based Dainichi Corporation received an Honorable Mention Award, a $25,000 prize for their breakthrough feed for red sea bream.

“We congratulate all the contestants who rose to the challenge despite all the recent adversity and supply chain disruptions,” said Kevin Fitzsimmons, professor at the University of Arizona and chair of the F3 Challenge, during a special ceremony at the Global Seafood Alliance’s GOAL conference. “Their hard work and flexibility paid off.”

Each year, an estimated 16 million metric tons of wild fish are caught exclusively for use as fishmeal and fish oil in global food production. Aquaculture now provides well over half of the world’s seafood and is the dominant consumer of these oil-rich fish, like sardines, anchovies and menhaden called “forage fish.” Feed is the largest concern of aquaculture farms.

The prizes were awarded in each of three categories – salmonid, shrimp, and other carnivorous species – to the contestant that produced and sold the most “fish-free” feed made without wild-caught fish or any marine-animal ingredient.

The next F3 Challenge focused on feed attractants will be announced in early 2023.

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