Tasmanian biotechnology company, Sea Forest, is taking its livestock feed supplement global – with the signing of an exclusive and long-term distribution agreement and partnership with Netherlands-based Orffa to access the European Union (EU).
Sea Forest was the first company in the world to cultivate Asparagopsis, a form of red seaweed with naturally occurring methane reduction properties.
Its Seafeed supplement was created from replicated bio actives from the seaweed, and has been pushing towards commercialisation for several years, after working with Fonterra and the Australian Agricultural Company to run trials.
Raising over $34 million from major investors in 2021, and receiving more than $5 million from the federal government through multiple grant allocations, Sea Forest developed the feedstock at its manufacturing facility in Triabunna.
Last year, it announced a partnership with UK supermarket chain, Morrisons, to range lower carbon beef products there, and started serving a world-first Sea Fed Beef at several Australian restaurants, in partnership with Three Blue Ducks.
The new agreement with animal nutrition, Orffa, includes distribution of the Seafeed range of products across the EU, which has about 78 million cattle, as well as on a non-exclusive basis to other countries worldwide.
Sea Forest CEO, Sam Elsom, said the company’s deep understanding of the bioactives found in Asparagopsis is having a global impact, and addresses an urgent worldwide need to reduce methane emissions.
“Connecting with a specialist in animal feed additives like Orffa allows Sea Forest to reach out to industry partners and stakeholders across the European continent,” said Elsom.
Orffa and Sea Forest have collaborated already for several years in trials with European universities and industry stakeholders to allow the safe and efficient use of Seafeed under EU conditions as the basis for product registrations and subsidy schemes. Many EU countries have introduced subsidies and levies on cattle farmers to reduce methane emissions and meet their climate goals.
Orffa director of marketing & innovation, Arno van der Aa, said the company has always been an innovative player in the animal feed industry, recognising future industry needs.
“As methane reduction initiatives are receiving more interest, this is the moment for Sea Forest’s market entrance,” said van der Aa.
“We have worked already for years on this challenge, and based on our findings, we believe that together with Sea Forest we can bring a unique and highly effective solution to market that can fill a growing need.”
