20 July 2018
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The Venlo-based Grassa! company, located at the Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo and part of the Bio Treat Center, is already getting more out of grass through their advanced biorefinery technology. Their biorefinery techniques make it possible to feed the same amount of grass to more animals and even make it suitable for human consumption. Now a loan from the Limburg Business Development Fund (LBDF) is enabling them to work on a prototype of a biorefinery suitable for vegetable residues that will eventually be made suitable for human food. This makes Grassa! part of the circular economy.
Farmers with grasslands or gardeners with vegetable residue streams have more up their sleeves, if it's up to Grassa! They are expanding their innovative biorefinery techniques so that more high-value substances are separated and put to better use. The refining is so refined and optimized that up to 5 times more protein comes out of the plant material. Low-value plant residues are thus increasingly finding their way into animal feed, livestock feed and may even be suitable as the basis for food for consumers.
From grass to vegetable nugget
Begin 2018, the first Vegetable Nuggets were made based on the high-quality Grassa! protein concentrate. With the help of the loan, it is being investigated whether residual flows from vegetable cultivation and trade can also be refined in the same, profitable way. Vegetables such as leeks, spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, but also carrot leaves, beans and peas are good candidates for biorefinery.
Local, sustainable and cost-effective
The Grassa! plant will have a mobile character. This means that residual flows can be processed locally straight away. This simplifies the chain and also saves on transport costs. Also cost-saving is the fact that there is simply a smaller waste stream and therefore lower composting costs. If traditional animal feed, such as South American genetically modified soy meal, is replaced by local residual flows, it is a win-win situation: less waste here and less harmful agriculture there.
Also curious about funding opportunities for your innovative ideas within agrofood? Please contact Niek Theunissen at LIOF. He will be happy to help you further.