Feed One partners Dutch research hub to advance feed innovation

JAPAN – Japan’s Feed One Co., Ltd. has become the first feed company in Asia to partner with the Netherlands-based Feed Design Lab (FDL), in a move aimed at accelerating research, training, and technological innovation in feed manufacturing.

The agreement grants Feed One access to FDL’s pilot-scale test plant in the Netherlands, where the latest feed processing technologies are developed and tested for real-world application. 

The facility will enable the company to conduct experimental production, trial new processing methods, and evaluate emerging approaches.

Feed One also plans to take advantage of FDL’s training and technical support programs to enhance staff skills, while integrating the institute’s expertise into its domestic manufacturing operations. 

According to the company, these efforts will strengthen product development, improve technical capabilities, and contribute to a more sustainable livestock industry.

FDL is an internationally recognised research and education institute specialising in feed processing technologies, bringing together industry leaders to advance sustainable solutions. 

By joining its network, Feed One positions itself to adopt best-in-class innovations while contributing to global feed technology development.

The company said it intends to use the partnership to bolster its operational efficiency and accelerate the introduction of advanced feed formulations in Japan’s market.

Major investment in aquaculture’s future

The partnership announcement comes as Feed One moves forward with a ¥13 billion (US$91 million) plan to build a state-of-the-art aquatic feed factory in Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture. 

Scheduled for completion in April 2028, the new plant will replace the ageing Chita facility, doubling annual production capacity to 40,000 tonnes.

Construction is expected to start in the second half of fiscal 2025, with the company already acquiring a 27,195.7 square metre plot, plus additional land for future expansion. 

The Toyokawa site was strategically chosen to support the rise of land-based aquaculture in central Japan and to meet the northward shift in fish farming caused by warming seas.

“Our goal is to support the future of aquaculture in Japan with next-generation technologies,” Feed One stated. The facility will produce advanced aquatic feeds, including fishmeal-free and insect protein-based formulas, elastic and micro pellets, and specialised diets for emerging farmed species.

The plant is also designed for efficiency, aiming to cut fuel consumption by 15% and reduce labour costs by 50% compared to the Chita site. 

It will operate alongside Feed One’s Kitakyushu facility in Fukuoka, set to open in 2027, creating a combined production and R&D hub to support Japan’s evolving aquaculture sector.

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