Aquaculture Procurement Hub

Aqua feed procurement: high-density protein, marine oils and functional additives

Aquaculture is the fastest-growing animal protein sector, but feed cost is 50-70% of farm-gate price and marine ingredient supply is capped by wild-catch quotas. Buyers need a mix of certified fish meal / oil, plant proteins, insect and single-cell proteins, plus binders and functional additives — all traceable to responsible fisheries. FeedMatch runs comparative tenders across the alternative-protein supply chain.

Request an RFQ for aquaculture ingredients Explore ingredient specifications

Economic benchmarks

Salmon FCR

1.15 – 1.30

Shrimp FCR

1.3 – 1.6

Tilapia FCR

1.5 – 1.8

Feed cost share

50 – 70%

of farm-gate price

Primary markets

≈ 55 M tonnes farmed aquatic animals — feeds are ≈ 50 M tonnes / yr

ChinaNorwayChileVietnamIndiaEcuadorTurkeyEgypt

Procurement challenges we solve

Fish meal / oil supply tied to fishing seasons and catch quotas (e.g. Peru anchovy), with responsible-sourcing certification (MarinTrust) narrowing eligible supply
Replacing marine ingredients with insect meal, SCP, algae without hurting growth
Anti-nutritional factors (SBM saponins, gossypol) in juvenile fish
Pellet water stability, sinking / floating physical quality
Traceability for ASC, BAP, GlobalG.A.P. certified feed

Recommended ingredient basket

Fish meal — LT & prime

Marine protein reference — 8-25% inclusion depending on species / stage

Fish oil (EPA/DHA)

Essential omega-3 supply — 4-15% inclusion

Soybean meal (SPC)

Plant protein backbone — 15-25% inclusion

Insect meal (BSF)

Emerging alternative — up to 15% for salmonids / shrimp

Single-cell / algae protein

Sustainable substitute — 5-10% inclusion

Feed program by stage

Reference stages nutritionists use when specifying rations. FeedMatch quotes ingredients for every phase.

Stage	Duration	Nutrient target	Focus	Key ingredients
Salmon smolt starter	Freshwater phase	50 – 55% CP	Rapid growth, low mortality, EPA/DHA supply	Fish meal LT, Fish oil, Krill / squid meal, SPC
Salmon grow-out	Seawater phase	40 – 45% CP	Feed cost efficiency, flesh colour (astaxanthin)	Fish meal, Fish oil / rapeseed oil, SPC, Insect meal
Shrimp PL / starter	PL10 – 5g	38 – 42% CP	Attractability, water stability, growth uniformity	Fish meal, Squid meal, Krill meal, Wheat gluten
Shrimp grow-out	5g – harvest	32 – 35% CP	FCR, disease resistance, environmental impact	Fish meal ≤ 15%, Soybean meal, Wheat, Functional additives
Tilapia grower	50 – 500g	28 – 32% CP	Least-cost formulation, floating pellet quality	Soybean meal, Corn, Fish meal ≤ 5%, Wheat flour binder

Quality & certifications

Every offer normalised on feed-safety standards

IFFO RS (Responsible Supply) for marine ingredients

ASC-MSC / BAP feed standards

GMP+ B2 / FEMAS

GlobalG.A.P. Compound Feed Manufacturers

Specification questions to answer before requesting offers

Clear answers make supplier offers comparable. Your nutritionist sets the nutritional targets; FeedMatch organises the buying specification and RFQ.

1.Which species and life stage are you feeding — salmonids, shrimp, tilapia or marine fish — and what protein/fat profile has your nutritionist set?
2.Do you require extruded floating, slow-sinking or sinking pellets, and what pellet size range and water stability must the feed hold?
3.What fish meal and fish oil inclusion limits apply, and which alternative proteins (SPC, insect meal, single-cell) are approved for your programme?
4.Which sustainability or certification requirements apply — IFFO RS, ASC feed standard or customer-specific criteria — and what documentation must accompany each lot?
5.What EPA/DHA levels must the oil fraction deliver, and how should oxidation (peroxide value, anisidine) be certified per lot?
6.What is your monthly tonnage per feed type, and which port and delivery terms should offers be quoted on?

Start a prefilled RFQ Test FCR and margin sensitivity Compare delivered cost

Frequently asked questions

How can I reduce fish meal in salmon feed without losing growth?›

Modern salmon diets can operate at 10-15% fish meal by combining soy protein concentrate, insect meal (BSF larvae), single-cell protein and precise EAA / taurine supplementation. FeedMatch RFQs blends across certified alternative-protein suppliers.

What certifications should aqua feed ingredients carry?›

IFFO RS for marine ingredients; ProTerra or RTRS for soy; ASC / BAP feed standard for finished feeds; and GMP+ B2 / FEMAS for feed-safety systems. Insect meal must be produced from Cat. 2/3 approved substrates in the EU.

Do you source shrimp-specific ingredients?›

Yes — krill meal, squid meal, hydrolysed fish protein, functional peptides, immunostimulants (β-glucans, MOS) and pigment sources (astaxanthin) are all part of our shrimp RFQ catalog.

Run a supplier-neutral RFQ for aquaculture today

Our team reviews your RFQ, approaches suitable suppliers after review and presents the responses we receive side by side on quality and CIF cost. Availability, responses and prices are not guaranteed.

Start prefilled RFQ