Reduce Feed Costs Through Utilization of Non-Traditional Protein Sources
Open Innovation Challenge:
Hormel Foods is seeking solutions and partnership strategies to explore and/or deploy non-traditional protein sources in turkey, chicken, swine and/or cattle feed.
Reason for Seeking External Innovation Partnership:
With the volatility in commodity grain markets, Hormel Foods would like to explore non-traditional protein sources in market animals’ diets. The development and adoption of new animal feed ingredients will be rooted in innovation by individuals looking to develop and commercialize a new supply of protein sources for animals. Solutions must be paired with thoughtful risk management strategies related to potential impacts on animal welfare and growth, the environment, economics, and human health.
Scope of Solution Space:
- Insight into the feasibility and production challenges of incorporating non-traditional proteins into a finishing animals’ diet. Examples of non-traditional protein sources could be insects, worms, or algae.
- Insight on farm revenue, operating cost, capital investment and farm management implications on feeding alternative proteins.
- Strategies to support commercialization of alternative proteins including infrastructure to process, store, and supply to feed milling locations.
- Identification of partnership or collaboration opportunities with programs of similar focus.
- Pilot program to incorporate and test concepts.
Solutions Not of Interest:
Human and/or pet nutrition.
Funding university research without short term commercial application potential.
Company Background:
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, Columbus®, Wholly®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, , was named on the “Global 2000 World’s Best Employers” list by Forbes magazine for three straight years, is one of Fortune magazine’s most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “The 100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for the 12th year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe.