MENLO PARK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Calysta, Inc. (www.calysta.com) announced that leading sustainability advisors The Carbon Trust (www.carbontrust.com), in a report released today, has assessed Calysta’s FeedKind™ protein against a number of key sustainability metrics, finding that it nearly eliminates the need for two increasingly scarce resources – water and agricultural land – for production of fish feed for the aquaculture industry. In addition, FeedKind protein does not rely on use of wild caught fish, reducing pressure on global fish stocks. FeedKind protein is a natural, safe, non-GMO sustainable fish feed ingredient. It is currently approved for sale in the European Union.

The report provides a detailed analysis of FeedKind protein taking into account a variety of environmental sustainability criteria, and concludes that FeedKind protein offers significant advantages over current fish feed ingredients. FeedKind protein was shown to use 77-98% less water than alternative ingredients including soy and wheat proteins. It also requires almost no agricultural land to produce, freeing that land for other food crops. In fact, one commercial scale FeedKind protein plant, if used to replace soy products for fish feed, would free up enough land to feed as many as 250,000 people. The land area represented is equal to an area the size of Chicago, Illinois or Birmingham, England or Seoul, Korea.

Further, as FeedKind production moves toward greater use of renewable biogas and electric power, the report concludes FeedKind protein will have “a carbon footprint comparable to or better than many other feed sources.”

“FeedKind protein provides a new path to sustainability for the aquaculture industry,” said Alan Shaw, Ph.D., Calysta President and CEO. ”The global population is expected to reach nine billion by 2050, requiring up to 70% more food. Fish, as an important source of protein, will play a major role in ensuring food security. Food production to meet this need must be sustainable, and lower water use and land use are keys to reaching that goal. Today’s report shows that FeedKind protein meets that test.”

Tom Cumberlege, a senior consultant at The Carbon Trust and one of the report’s authors, added, “Aquaculture is growing at an astonishing rate and has now overtaken beef production. But it is essential that the industry manages its growth sustainably by finding innovations to reduce environmental impacts. Agricultural land and fresh water are becoming increasingly valuable resources as the climate changes and we need to find ways to feed a growing population. FeedKind protein meets these requirements by requiring minimal land and water resources with the added potential of a low carbon footprint when using renewable sources of energy and biogas.”

In January, Calysta announced it will open an R&D and market introduction facility in the United Kingdom for further development of the commercial production process for FeedKind protein. The facility is expected to open in early 2017. In February, Calysta announced $30 million in Series C funding with Cargill, the Municipal Employee Retirement System (MERS) of Michigan and Old Westbury Global Real Assets Fund LLC. Also participating were current Calysta investors Walden Riverwood Ventures, Aqua-Spark and Pangaea Ventures. In addition to the funding, Calysta and Cargill will collaborate in the North American manufacturing and global marketing of FeedKind protein.

For a copy of today’s report, click here: www.carbontrust.com/feedkind

About Calysta

Calysta, Inc. (www.calysta.com), Menlo Park, CA, is an innovator in sustainable industrial products. Calysta has two business units. Calysta Nutrition develops and commercializes FeedKind™ protein, a new fish and animal feed ingredient that can reduce the aquaculture and agriculture industries’ reliance on unsustainable ingredients and production methods. Calysta Materials and Energy is developing high value materials for use in industrial and consumer products with cost and performance advantages over current processes.

About The Carbon Trust

The Carbon Trust is an independent company with a mission to accelerate the move to a sustainable, low-carbon economy. The Carbon Trust:

• advises businesses, governments and the public sector on opportunities in a sustainable, low-carbon world;
• measures and certifies the environmental footprint of organisations, products and services;
• helps develop and deploy low-carbon technologies and solutions, from energy efficiency to renewable power.