In the framework of Biobridges project, Particula Group conducted an interview with Croatian food producer company Food City d.o.o. in which they expressed their plans to enter into new bio-based markets with high added value, especially in the market niche of proteins and polysaccharides derived from non-starch biomass.
At the same time, Particula Group was engaged by Dutch company DWS with the goal of finding partners in Croatia for technology transfer of their own developed novel photo bioreactor (PBR) vertical farming project for microalgae. Potential symbiosis and benefit for both partners were clear, so we started negotiations with both companies for a potential common project.
The interconnection:
After a couple of months of negotiations, both entities decided to go forward with the project and to establish a new joint company named Adriatic Algae Biotech d.o.o. with headquarters in Rijeka, Croatia. The cooperation resulted in the definition of a business plan to set up a semi industrial multi-product 3rd generation bio refinery for the production of Chlorella Vulgaris and Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae for food, feed and nutraceuticals markets. The bio refinery was built during the year 2019, and started cultivation of both microalgae species in September.
The plan seeks to put in value the great synergies shared by both companies, with strong experience in their respective fields. On the one hand, DWS provides its demonstrated pioneering low-cost technologies and experienced staff. On the other hand, Food City d.o.o. provides the positioning as market leader in the region, the distribution structure, the knowledge and the experience accrued in over three decades in the Croatian market. The purpose of this cooperation is to reach new market niches in the South Eastern Europe in order to offer the range of innovative and sustainable Chlorella Vulgaris based food & beverage products like protein enriched pastry, soft drinks and other meals.
Furthermore, both companies are eager to push the cooperation further and to explore the use of novel PBR technology for the development and production of organic Astaxanthin powder, which is a blood-red pigment and it is produced naturally in the freshwater microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis.
The production of organic Astaxanthin has become one of the most successful activities in biotechnology. Astaxanthin has great demand in food, feed, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications and offers high revenue returns. Astaxanthin products are available in the form of capsule, soft gel, tablet, powder, biomass, cream, energy drink, oil and extract in the market. Both companies believe to put their Astaxanthin products on the market by mid 2020 and start plans for the construction of large scale (1-hectare plant) bio refinery in the region.
Finally, the companies’ plan and technology have attracted attention from research organizations in the region, and visionary plans are being made for the use of its microalgae and cultivation technology in primary and secondary treatment processes of wastewater industrial and municipal plants from the region.
Microalgae culture offers an interesting step for wastewater treatments, because they provide a bio treatment coupled with the production of potentially valuable biomass, which can be used for several purposes. Microalgae cultures offer an elegant solution to tertiary and quandary treatments due to the ability of microalgae to use inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus for their growth.
Why is this new?
The interconnection between a food and beverage producer company and a waste water treatment company was established with the goal of combining novel photo bioreactor manufacturing know-how and specific know-how in food production and market launch, as well as, market push strategy. This interconnection is new as involved companies from different countries have never cooperated before and they joined forces with the goal of entering new bio-markets (feed, pharma and nutraceuticals).
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