Hendrix Genetics unveils Kona Bay Balance Pro for sustainable shrimp farming

NETHERLANDS – Hendrix Genetics,  a Dutch global leader in multi-species breeding and technology,  has launched a new shrimp genetics product, Kona Bay Balance Pro, designed to enhance performance, resilience, and sustainability across the aquaculture value chain. 

The new line was officially introduced at the Hatch India Show 2025, held at the Radisson Blu in Visakhapatnam, India, on October 30–31.

According to the company, the Kona Bay Balance Pro represents the next generation of shrimp genetics solutions, offering shrimp hatcheries and producers a balanced, predictable, and ethical approach to breeding.

Speaking during the launch, Naomi Duijvesteijn, Global Sustainability Director at Hendrix Genetics, highlighted the product’s role in promoting responsible aquaculture. 

The Balance Pro, like other Kona Bay products, is developed through a non-ablation breeding process, eliminating the need for eyestalk ablation while maintaining top-tier performance and resilience.

This approach, Hendrix Genetics said, supports global sustainability goals and reinforces the company’s dedication to animal welfare and ethical breeding.

“The Balance Pro product is the answer to unpredictability in shrimp farming,” said Deepak Patnaik, Commercial Director at Kona Bay. 

“Designed to reduce variability and improve predictability, it delivers faster growth, higher productivity, and improved resilience.”

The product’s development builds upon Hendrix Genetics’ advanced genomic selection program, which accelerates genetic progress for key traits such as growth rate and disease resistance. 

The broodstock is Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) and originates from the company’s biosecure nucleus breeding center in Hawaii. 

A global network of Broodstock Multiplication Centers (BMCs) ensures a consistent supply and biosecurity.

Innovation built on balance and adaptability

The Kona Bay Balance Pro is engineered for robustness and adaptability across varying production environments, performing best in well-managed, biosecure systems. 

Its balanced genetic profile ensures consistent performance across hatcheries and farms, delivering measurable improvements in growth rates, survival, and feed conversion efficiency.

The product joins other specialized lines in the Kona Bay portfolio, including Kona Bay Speed, selected for rapid growth in high-density, biosecure environments, and Kona Bay Strength, designed for disease tolerance in more open, challenging systems.

Hendrix Genetics employs more than 2,800 people and operates in over 25 countries. The company is co-owned by the private equity firm Paine Schwartz Partners (50%) and the co-founders, Thijs Hendrix and Antoon van den Berg (50%).

Global recognition for sustainable innovation

In related developments, Hendrix Genetics recently received Technical Recognition from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations for its contribution to sustainable livestock transformation in Africa. 

The accolade was presented during the FAO’s 80th anniversary celebrations and the World Food Forum held in Rome in October 2025.

The recognition honors the company’s project “Driving genetics innovation in support of the most in need”, part of the Securing Affordability of Poultry Parent Stocks in Africa (SAPPSA) program, co-funded by Hendrix Genetics and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Launched in 2018, SAPPSA has reached over 31 million smallholder farmers across Africa, including nearly 8 million beneficiaries in 2025, by developing resilient, dual-purpose chicken breeds suited for low-input systems. The initiative aims to boost both food security and economic stability in rural areas.

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