Ukraine begins processing food waste into feed

The cost of the project is $ 20 million and partners are mulling plans to build 2 similar plants in Ukraine in the upcoming years. One in central and one in the southern Ukraine. The construction of the Feednova in Lviv Oblast plant began in December of 2019 and is slated to be completed by the end of 2020. First products are expected to hit the market in 2021.

The problem of processing by-products from the livestock industry is very relevant for Ukraine. The new plant should become a powerful solution to this problem. “We plan to manufacture high-protein feed additives. Our range of ready-to-use products will include meat-and-bone meal, bone meal and fat. The equipment for the plant is to be supplied by our main partner, Mavitec,” said Andrey Ogorodnik, general director of the Feednova plant. “Our main technology is dry rendering – a process under which moisture content in raw materials is reduced and microorganisms are liquidated. We grind raw materials, than using thermal treatment vaporise moisture and separate fat. After that, we grind solids into meal.”

Feednova is going to collect raw materials among meat-processing plants, slaughterhouses, poultry farms and fattening complexes, mainly located in western Ukraine within a radius of 250km of the plant. All suppliers will have storage containers with cooling compartments. Special vehicles will collect the waste. With the launching of the second stage of the plant, Feednova harbours plans to begin processing waste from supermarkets as well. “Our company is export oriented, so at the first stage selling products should be carried out through European traders. In future, we aim to emerge on the Asian market of ready-to-use products. Needless to say, we are taking European clients into account too,” Ogorodnik said. “Our plant should become a golden standard for our country, certified in accordance with the ISO 22000 and HACCP quality standards. As of today, there are no similar companies in Ukraine, so our market is fully dependent on the import of feed additives rich in protein. We aim to become a truly effective example of import replacement,” Ogorodnik added.

In total, there should be 4 production lines at the plant, with the capacity to process 220 tonnes of raw materials per day, releasing 90 tonnes of ready-to-use products.