1.5 million euros & 1 mission: disrupt the animal feed market
Huddle Corp, member of Atalnpole, has announced the closing of its first round of fundraising of 1.5 million euros from DEMETER’s Agrinnovation funds. Funds will be used to accelerate involvement in its first targeted market: aquafeed.
Since the company’s creation in November 2018, Huddle Corp has been working hand-in-hand with farmers in order to provide high quality animal proteins to consumers, increase animal well-being and improve sustainability. The startup developed two innovative feed products for early stage fish and shrimp raised in hatcheries.
Huddle Corp invents a new way to build feed for animal nutrition
The cofounders Abdeslam EL HARRAK and César CRETEL combined their strong expertise in launching innovations on the market with their notable experience in the industry. Their awareness of issues operating in the animal nutrition market and their scientific backgrounds helped them reinvent the feed manufacturing process.
Based on new patented encapsulation technologies, the company developed a manufacturing process that preserves the nutrient quality of raw materials during each step of production, in contrast with the high temperature processes currently used in the sector. Huddle Corp’s innovation not only improves the nutritive quality of animal proteins for final consumers, but also the economics and environmental performance of exploitations.
“Thanks to the specific feed architecture, nutrient release is controlled in the gut of the animal. Our approach allows distribution of the nutrients at the right time and place in the digestive system.” explained Abdeslam EL HARRAK, CEO.
Initial trials in industry-standard rearing conditions showed the feed’s capability to increase zootechnical performance of early stage fish (development and survival) up to 30%, compared to a traditional feed on the market.
The innovative architecture of Huddle Corp’s feed contributes to a more sustainable society by helping produce quality animal protein for consumers using fewer resources.
“Huddle Corp’s approach, which focuses on compound feed manufacturing processes, is a real breakthrough in animal nutrition technology. The market is huge (over €500 billion), and is looking for innovations capable of both improving product quality and generating more value within the industry.” explains Majdi NAJAH, Investment Director at Demeter.