Mr Balusson explained Olmix Group’s concern for climate change, and gave three examples of relevant projects:
Today, Olmix Group has about 800 employees and will post a 2017 revenues of more than €150 million. The Group has been developing specific technological expertise since 1995. These last three years have witnessed dramatic progress in the company’s innovative programmes. It is now possible to grow plants, rear animals and process food without pesticides, antibiotics or chemical additives, thanks to our algae technology.
We are only just starting to exploit the various possibilities that algae molecules can offer in terms of food safety while vigorously meeting fundamental human, animal and environmental needs. Our aim is to live «without pesticides, antibiotics and chemical food additives Thanks to Algae’, and preserve the Earth for our future generations!
ALGAE & MICROBIOTA
MR Hervé Balusson at the UN Climate Change Conference (source: EIB).
In close cooperation with Dr Martin Scholten, General Director of Animal & Marine Sciences at the Wageningen University & Research (Netherlands), and Michel Neunlist, a research director at Inserm (France), Olmix’s work concentrates on highlighting the importance of sea resources for feeding people in the future and proving the correlation between health and Algae. One key parameter to consider is the tight correlation between the gut and the brain. By itself, the microbiota is nothing; the food we eat modifies the composition of this microbiota. As you know, the microbiota has been proven to play a key role in facing diseases. But so has diet, which can help us prevent or treat these diseases.
So the gut is our original brain and must be taken care of. Algae can be part of the solution, interacting directly with the microbiota and the intestine. But it can also provide the tools to reduce the use of pesticides, antibiotics and chemical food additives and indirectly support human health.
ANTIBIOTIC-FREE PRODUCTION THANKS TO ALGAE
The Olmix Human Care division aims to offer natural solutions based on algae by developing ingredients for the food, nutraceutical and human health industries. There is a bright future ahead of us, since algae can potentially be used in everyday human care.
Moreover, antibiotic resistance is growing and animal welfare is essential. There is therefore demand for better quality food and safety. To meet this target, we have several collaborations all around the world that allow us to develop our technologies in a scientific way. Our three Animal Care ranges are ‘For Farm’, ‘For Feed’ and ‘For Vet’. Antibiotic-free production thanks to algae is no longer a dream. It is a reality.
EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK FINANCING
The ‘HealthSea FoodTech’ concept, boosting health through the power of algae, is now embedded in the future of Olmix. One project in particular demonstrates this concept: Breizh Algae-SAGA. To develop this project, Olmix looked for investors and raised up to €70 million. Among the major financiers, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a €30 million funding boost to the French Group.
With our projects strongly supported by EIB, we can go further in developing breeding programs (poultry, pork, beef, etc.) with natural solutions based on algae extracts, without the use of chemical ingredients.
We reached out to EIB, because it is an institution with a global reputation. It is important for us to show their support for our programme and their financing of our projects in Asia, the United States and Russia.
EIB offers a unique funding tool: it finances R&D without requiring a guarantee, but with long-term conditions (5-7 years). That gives us the time to implement our R&D and launch the business.
It would be ideal if the EIB, in addition to further supporting innovative R&D projects, could imagine new, global solutions that would help finance the growth of working capital, which is the expected result of the implementation of new innovations.
"We are delighted that EIB is supporting us, alongside our leading partners NOVI2, ZENCAP, Bpifrance and Lendix" Hervé Balusson, Olmix Group CEO & President.
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