Rather than building something entirely new from scratch, Beta Hatch took a brownfields approach, hoping to use existing infrastructure and revitalize it. The Cashmere factory is an old juice factory that had been idle for nearly a decade.
In addition to the updated model, the company says its production process is based on a zero-waste system: mealworms are fed organic by-products, and the final ingredients are used in feed and fertilizer.
The plant is partially funded by the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Clean Energy Fund. Through a patented HVAC innovation, excess heat generated by the adjacent data center’s networking equipment is captured and used as the primary heat source to control the environment in the Beta Hatch greenhouse.
”Sustainability is one of the main requirements of insect producers, but it all depends on how they operate. We have some very targeted measures in the production area.
“If you look at the cost and impact of each new piece of steel in a new plant, a brownfield approach can lead to greater efficiency and significant cost savings. All of our electricity comes from renewable sources, and using waste heat also improves efficiency.” googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display(‘text-ad1′); });
The company’s location next to an apple processing plant means it can use industry by-products, such as cores, as one of its growing substrates: “Thanks to careful site selection, some of our ingredients are transported less than two miles.”
The company also uses dry ingredients from Washington state, which are a byproduct of large wheat processing plants, the CEO said.
And he has “a lot of options” when it comes to substrate feeds. Emery went on to say that projects are currently underway with several types of feedstock producers, with a focus on feasibility studies to determine whether Beta Hatch can expand the use of its waste.
Since November 2020, Beta Hatch has been operating a smaller, gradually expanding manufacturing unit at its Cashmere facility. The company began using the flagship product around December 2021 and has been scaling up its use over the past six months.
”We focused on growing the breeding stock, which is the hardest part of the process. Now that we have a large adult population and some quality eggs, we are working hard on growing the breeding stock.”
The company is also investing in human resources. “The team has more than doubled in size since August last year, so we are well positioned for further growth.”
This year, a new, separate facility for larval rearing is planned. “We’re just raising money for it.”
The construction is in line with Beta Hatch’s long-term goal of expanding operations using a hub and spoke model. The Cashmere factory will be the hub of egg production, with farms located close to where raw materials are produced.
As for what products will be produced at these dispersed sites, she said manure and whole dried mealworms require minimal handling and can be easily transported from the sites.
”We will likely be able to process protein powder and petroleum products in a decentralized manner. If a customer requires a more customized ingredient, all dry ground product will be sent to a refining facility for further processing.”
Beta Hatch is currently producing whole dried insects for use by backyard birds – the protein and oil production is still in the experimental stages.
The company recently conducted trials on salmon, the results of which are expected to be published this year and will form part of a dossier for regulatory approval of the salmon mealworm.
”The data shows that fishmeal has been successfully replaced with up to 40% added value. A significant amount of our protein and oil is now being used in research work.”
In addition to salmon, the company is working with the industry to gain approval for the use of fish manure in feed and to expand the use of mealworm ingredients in pet and poultry feed.
In addition, his research and development group is exploring other uses for insects, such as pharmaceutical production and improved vaccine production.
Copyright. Unless otherwise stated, all content on this website is © William Reed Ltd, 2024. All rights reserved. For full information about the use of material on this website, please see the Terms of Use.
Post time: Nov-16-2024