Singapore-based insect producer, Entobel, partnered with AquaBIO5 GROUP for the development of functional insect-derived products with applications in aquaculture. The objective of the partnership is to develop pathogen-free products for early-stage shrimp and fish with a strong focus on a high level of digestibility and assimilation, growth and survival by increasing immunity, overall sustainable water quality and ecologically responsible farming process.

“Insects are much more than a simple protein source.  Some of our feed trials showed strong enhanced EMS or white spot disease shrimp resistance when fed with our insect meal. Since then, we have intensively explored the immunostimulant and health benefits of our insect meal and how we can control and concentrate those effects. Working with AquaBIO5 Group will allow us to speed up the go-to-market on such development with in vivo trials which can be performed at high frequency to validate our assumptions,” said Gaetan Crielaard, co-founder of Entobel. 

Entobel was established in 2013 with commercial operations in Vietnam. For the past three years, the company has been running the largest insect production site in Southeast Asia with a growing blue-chip customer base in the aqua sector. 

AquaBIO5 Group, established in France and Belgium in 2012, develops, produces and commercializes premium sustainable plant-based extraction functional feed ingredients, diets, with a strong focus on early-stage nutrition (larvae, post-larvae and nursery stage) in aquaculture. AquaBIO5 Group has strong R&D capabilities with representative offices in Thailand, Chile and Ecuador, and distributors in Vietnam and India. IFETURA-eu, the production facility of AquaBIO5 Group, is a France-based company established in 1983, specializes in processing equipment, and partners on specific and proprietary processes developments that unlocks the potential of each micronutrient in raw materials. 

“When Marc, CEO of AquaBIO5 Group, contacted Entobel for the development of insect-derived ingredients, we quickly realized we share the same vision when it comes to sustainability, applied R&D and go-to-market strategies. Our combined experience both on product developments and new market entry will allow us to position ourselves in the premium aquafeed segment. We are also excited to both be strategically and physically located in Vietnam and Thailand with production and R&D capabilities. Being close to the customer is key when developing such products,” said Crielaard. 

“Entobel stood out as the natural partner given their proven industrial and commercial track record in the region. Their industrial driven approach and realistic go-to-market strategy was a key driver for choosing them as a partner. We are excited about the synergies existing between our two structures and have no doubt that we will be able to develop sustainable, highly digestible and health-enhancing products,” said Marc Van Gyseghem, CEO of AquaBIO5 Group. "The use of traceable and stable feedstocks in Entobel production model was key and a prerequisite to developing stable end products.”