Chloe Acland

Fera Science Ltd., (Fera) is thrilled to announce its recent success at the 31st York Press Business Awards. The York-based science services business won with its inaugural entry in the ‘Business Innovation of the Year’ category and went on to win the top award of Press Business of the Year 2022.

Several members of Fera’s team and a number of guests joined the estimated 600 attendees at the glittering black-tie event for the York Press Business Awards, including Dr Larissa Collins, Dr Maureen Wakefield, Dr Glyn Jones, and Philippa Hobby, who received the award on behalf of Fera.

Speaking at the podium as a representative of the company, Dr Larissa Collins exclaimed,

“It’s an absolute honour to receive this award on behalf of my colleagues at Fera. This award really recognises that we really are a truly innovative business. We are constantly deploying our original thinking to tackle practical problems for our customers - to help society, food production, the environment and to ultimately keep our food system safe.”

Dr Collins, lead scientist on Fera’s Enigma Programme - a strategic R&D model established to support continued research, innovation, and knowledge transfer across the agri-food sector - went on to say,

“Anyone who strives for innovation knows that not everything works, but we’re good at persevering. It’s our staff’s expertise and passion for finding solutions for our customers that’s so important. And as we translate science into practical innovations, it’s important for us to listen to our customers so we know what they require so we can devise the most expedient and effective route to resolve their problems using the vast array of science disciplines that we have at Fera.”

Fera’s entry in ‘Business Innovation of the Year’ spotlights the internationally pioneering contribution it has made over the last decade to prove and develop the potential of insect bioconversion to upcycle organic waste from ‘environmental hazard’ to ‘valorised product’ under a near perfect circular economy and which has culminated in it investing £1m this year to build and commission its ‘first of its kind’, insect research laboratory at its base at the York Biotech Campus (YBC). (Read more here).

Fera also highlighted the long history of pioneering innovation it has seen in recent years, mostly notably through Enigma (considered one of the first research models of its kind in the agri-food sector) a model which relies upon industry collaboration to address exacting common challenges, as well as LAND360; a new service to measure, monitor and assess natural capital in response to Defra’s environmental land management schemes (ELMs), and the drive to manage land in a way that recognises ‘public money for public good’.

As the winning organisation in the Innovation category, Fera is proud of its Yorkshire base and its work with regional, national and global partners, continually investing and expanding its product and service offerings to not only respond to industry requirements but to also continue to support the local economy by creating high quality employment. Working with talent from within the region alongside a programme of regional community engagement and investment in our staff, apprentices and PhD students, Fera provides attractive career progression opportunities.

Success didn’t end there for Fera, as it went on to win the top trophy of overall Press Business of the Year 2022. After initially describing his shock upon receiving this prestigious award and thanking the York Press and all of those who had made the event such a success, Dr Andrew Swift (CEO), went on to deliver a passionate and thought-provoking speech on the importance of protecting the food system for the future generations,

“I am totally shocked, but I am so grateful to the sponsors and the organisers for us to have been considered for this award… Most people don’t realise how Fera’s work provides an invisible blanket for our national biosecurity, food safety and food security. We’ve heard some terrific awards tonight, celebrating business purpose, but what better purpose is there in the sense of business than protecting you what you eat and the world in which we live for those who follow us?”

Met with applause at the sentiment, Dr Swift went on to say,

“The kind of work that Fera does is not only for today’s economic success but is for your children and your children’s children. Fera is innovative and Fera is important because we’re trying to find ways every day of the week to feed the world more sustainably, more regeneratively and to drive down net zero carbon in the region as fast as we can including alongside our partners in BioYorkshire.”

With over 100 entries, the awards have long been a major fixture in the York business calendar, with this year as no exception. The 2022 Awards celebrate businesses across Yorkshire in 11 categories, who have thrived in their respective sectors despite current economic challenges - long-standing businesses and start-ups going from strength to strength - firms who have proved their calibre as responsible employers and those who put sustainability at the heart of their missions.

Fera Science Ltd., (Fera) is proud to be shortlisted in the 31^st York Press Business Awards under ‘Business Innovation of the Year’. With this inaugural entry, Fera will be attending the awards ceremony on Thursday 24^th November at York Racecourse where the winners of each category will be announced.

Fera’s entry spotlights the internationally pioneering contribution it has made over the last decade to prove and develop the potential of insect bioconversion to upcycle organic waste from environmental hazard to valorised products under a near perfect circular economy and which has culminated in it investing £1m this year to build and commission its ‘first of its kind’, insect research laboratory at its base at the York Biotech Campus (YBC). Fera’s new laboratory will upscale its current insect services and help meet the needs of clients from across the food industry by demonstrating insect bioconversion at pilot scale and twinning insect farming at factory scale to de-risk new entrants, helping to accelerate adoption of this new technology by a much wider industrial user base – thereby delivering a ‘multiplier’ environmental and economic benefit.

Insect bioconversion can consume traceable biomass waste to provide alternative livestock feed, fishing, and pet foods and even as ingredients for consumer foods.  

Under an alternative application it can also be applied to abstract environmentally hazardous waste streams from farm manures and slurries to sewerage and to upcycle them for non-food and feed products such as biofuels and soil nutrients.

It is a circular economic practice that reduces waste, provides alternative sustainably sourced proteins for the food chain to help overcome the rising pressure to meet consumption for the growing population globally and estimated 250 million metric tonnes of additional protein that will be needed per year in the decades ahead to feed the world. The launch of the new insect research laboratory has seen Fera’s presence grow by over 2,000 sq. ft on a campus that sits at the heart of an agricultural region driving the circular economy and bio-based industry.

“We’re thrilled to have been shortlisted for this year’s Business Awards” explains Dr Andrew Swift, Chief Executive Officer at Fera Science.

“At Fera we believe in applying innovation and original thinking to protect you, what you eat and the world in which we live and there are few finer examples of our cross-disciplinary and entrepreneurial approach than in the way we have led the world insect bioconversion from York”.

”We’re proud to be driving radical and disruptive innovation to address today’s challenges in food security and food safety, environmental  conservation and nature recovery. Our recognition as part of the York awards is a testament to the efforts, purpose, and dedication of all Fera’s employees.”

Based in York, with a scientific heritage spanning over 100 years and employing over 450 scientists in the Yorkshire, Fera is a national and international centre of excellence for interdisciplinary investigation and problem solving, with experience in support of public goods across food-agri environment axis and for translation of innovative science into most impactful services to deliver positive change. Around the globe, organisations in over 120 countries rely on Fera to ensure the quality and safety of their products as we are uniquely positioned to address ‘whole system’ of food production in the modern economy.

As one of the three businesses shortlisted for the innovation category, Fera is proud of its Yorkshire base and work with regional, national, and global partners, continually investing and expanding its product and service offerings to not only respond to industry requirements but to also continue to support the local economy by creating high quality employment. Utilising talent from within the region and a programme of regional community engagement and investment in our staff, apprenticeships, PhD students and recruitment at the bench, Fera provides attractive career progression opportunities.

With over 100 entries, the awards have long been a major fixture in the York business calendar, with this year as no exception. The 2022 Awards celebrate businesses across Yorkshire, in 11 categories, who have thrived in their respective sectors despite current economic troubles, long-standing businesses going from strength to strength, firms who have proved their calibre as good employers, and those who put sustainability at the heart of their work.

Fera applies Original Thinking to support sustainable global food production and has a long history of pioneering innovation. In February 2022, Fera launched Enigma; a strategic R&D model established to support continued research, innovation, and knowledge transfer across the agri-food sector through a joined-up approach between Fera and industry partners. Thought to be one of the first research models of its kind in the agri-food sector, Enigma relies on industry collaboration to address exacting industry challenges.

This year Fera has also launched LAND360; a new service to measure, monitor and assess natural capital. Combining data and science, LAND360 is based on three hierarchical levels of service that accurately measures and maps existing land habitat features and models biodiversity, offerings to help farmers, landowners and managers make informed land use decisions in response to Defra’s environmental land management schemes (ELMs), and the drive to manage land in a way that recognises ‘public money for public good’.

Fera has plans to bring further innovative technology to the region under the BioYorkshire initiative. The ten-year programme will accelerate the translation and application of research discoveries into full scale biotechnology applications. As one for the three founding partners, Fera is committed to transforming the UK’s bioeconomy and creating centre of gravity for the north of England and wider UK for the bioeconomy. The project will help drive a new era of bio-manufacturing and farming, reduce carbon emissions, and actively contribute to the UK’s Net Zero ambitions. We estimate that innovation and skills developed through BioYorkshire will add around £1.4bn in GVA to the UK economy, creating 4,000 jobs across Yorkshire and the UK.

Promoting inclusivity, in attending the awards ceremony, Fera’s CEO Dr Andrew Swift will be joined by a cross-section of Fera staff and a selection of our valued regional customers, partners and key suppliers.

Martina Peters (Head of Conservation) and Liza Fowler (Cloud Forest Invertebrate Specialist) of St. Helena’s National Trust visited Fera on 4^th to 5^th August 2022 to learn how to identify invasive ants and plant pest species that pose a high risk to the biosecurity of the island in which Fera has been supporting through UKOT Projects under DEFRA funding.

St. Helena is a volcanic island with a subtropical climate in the South Atlantic Ocean. The island has an astonishing array of biodiversity which is threatened due to the introduction of non-native species that may cause a significant negative impact on the ecosystem. The ancient cloud forest in the centre of the island is of global importance as is holds approximately 250 species that are found nowhere else on Earth.

Among the groups of concern that the visitors were taught to identify were ants by Noel Tawatao, spiders and flies by Rob Deady, leaf-mining flies by Charlie Griffiths and eriophyid mite damage by James Thorpe.

Ants are of particular concern as they can have a devastating impact on island ecosystems, for example, the invasive yellow crazy ant on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, threatens the endemic land crab fauna, alters rain forest structure and composition, and disrupts ecosystem processes.

Developing the diagnostic capacity of the conservation staff in St Helena will help them identify potentially invasive species so that appropriate action can be taken to mitigate the impact and protect the unique environment and biodiversity of the territory.

Noel showing the visitors from St Helena how to recognise invasive ants

Rob showing the visitors from St Helena how to recognise invasive spiders

Charlie showing the visitors from St Helena how to recognise invasive leaf-mining flies

James with Martina Peters (Head of Conservation) and Liza Fowler (Cloud Forest Invertebrate Specialist) from St Helena

Saint Helena, cloud forest on Diana’s Peak © C. Malumphy

Saint Helena, examples of endemic invertebrates: spiky yellow woodlouse; blue leafhopper; and the blushing snail © C. Malumphy

A Circular Revolution in the Forecast for Aquaculture Feed

Innovators Future By Insects with strategic partner Fera Science Limited (Fera), winners of WWF and Tesco’s Innovation Connections accelerator scheme award, are working collaboratively with commercial partners to revolutionise the production of aquaculture feed.

The collaborative project will validate Future By Insects’ innovative and sustainable solution which will repurpose organic waste streams and captured Co2 emissions to grow algae as food for insects to produce animal feed ingredients. Hilton Food Group and Greencore, both major suppliers to Tesco, are centrally involved in supporting the project.

Evelyn Peters, Chief Executive of Future By Insects based in the UK, said on learning of the success of their proposal: “The backing of Innovation Connections is crucial to our progression as together with our partners, Greencore and Hilton Food Group, we will be able to work with huge volumes of food waste streams, leading to successful validation of our proposition at scale. We will now be able to build the evidence base that will create commercial viability leading to acceptance and adoption.”

Dr Maureen Wakefield, Principal Scientist, Insect Research Unit, Fera, said: “Fera’s collaboration with Future By Insects will enable them to work with our extensive scientific and practical technical knowledge and our new Insect Research Unit specialising in insect farming.  The new facility will provide large scale trial facilities utilising the huge volumes of organic food waste required to carry out the scaled-up testing to build the evidence base necessary to support Future By Insects project work.”   

“This is one of a number of strategic projects,” Wakefield adds, “that Fera will be delivering over the coming year, all with the aim of kick-starting the agri-food manufacturing sectors to adopt insect farming technology.  Our aspiration is to showcase its ability to valorise waste streams as well as reduce the  volume of food waste going to landfill.”   

Both Future By Insects and Fera recognise the importance of the involvement of Hilton Food Group and Greencore, due to their scale and position in the market. Both can contribute hugely to Tesco and WWF’s ambition through Innovation Connections to halving the environmental impact of every household’s shopping basket by the acceleration of the adoption of new technologies at scale.

Nigel Edwards, Group CSR Director of Hilton Food Group, lead supplier of protein products to Tesco as part of its international supply chain, says: “Hilton Food Group  has chosen to work with Future By Insects and Fera as they offer a credible scale up solution for insect derived fish feed in aquaculture as well as extensive scientific expertise. This project will validate Hilton’s ambition to lower environmental impacts compared with traditional feeds, measured in terms of CO₂, water use, circularity and biodiversity.” 

Greencore’s Group Sustainability Manager, Norman Watson also confirms their collaboration with the project: “We will provide food ingredient by-products from our production sites to be trialled as insect feed, thereby creating a high-value product from our food by-product waste streams aiding the creation of a closed loop system within our fish product related supply chain. This project works directly with our ambition to play a positive role in the future of food, and to deliver a more sustainable, equitable and inclusive food system.”

To find out more about Fera's Insect services please follow this link: https://www.fera.co.uk/insect-bioconversion-reforming-the-food-system

Fera Science launches £1m Laboratory for Insect Bioconversion at York base

Fera Science Ltd (“Fera”), a pioneer in expert agri-food and environmental science services, is delighted to announce the opening of its specialist insect laboratory today at its York Biotech Campus (YBC) location. The £1m expansion involved converting a former storage unit on site into a purpose-built insect research unit, increasing Fera’s presence at YBC by over 2,000 sq. ft.

This expert research and development (R&D) facility will support the rapid growth of insect bioconversion to upcycle biomass residues into valorised products. Fera’s R&D services will help a variety of industries to evaluate the feasibility and scale up processes by which they can best adopt the technology.

Fera has led insect bioconversion R&D in the UK and EU for the past 10 years. The laboratory, which is the first of its kind in the UK and one of the first in Europe, enables Fera to help meet the needs of global clients from across the food industry by expanding the scope and scale of its current insect services to ‘twin’ the process of insect bioconversion at factory production scale.

Insect bioconversion is the process of feeding insect biomass residue to create valorised products, such as high quality proteins and oils, packaging materials or soil nutrients. It is a circular economic practice that reduces waste, provides alternative – sustainably sourced - ingredients for animal feed. Most of Fera’s work has focused on developing this application with black soldier fly larvae for a multitude of reasons which lend themselves to an efficient production process and yielding product which is protein rich, contains a good balance of essential amino acids, minerals and fats - highly suitable for feeding to monogastric animals (such as poultry, pigs and fish).

Fera is able to advise its clients on the cost reductions as well as optimising the circular economy benefits of insect bioconversion in line with net carbon zero objectives and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). The laboratory will also enable collaborations with universities, start-ups, insect farms and associated national and international regulatory authorities, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Food Standards Agency.

Dr Andrew Swift, Chief Executive Officer at Fera Science said:

“Today’s launch of our specialist insect laboratory is an important step in the delivery of expert support from Fera to help the food production industry and its stakeholders, in both the commercial and public sector, to respond to the opportunity this technology presents.

“The rising pressure to meet consumption for the growing population globally estimates that more than 250 million metric tonnes of additional protein will be needed per year in the decades ahead. This puts immense pressure on our current animal feed protein sources such as soy and fishmeal which are derived from unsustainable sources. Insect bioconversion presents one route to provide sustainably sourced protein into the food chain to help overcome this challenge. Under a circular economy, this technology can  reduce biomass waste through consumption and conversion into high quality protein for animal feed as well as other bi-products of high value to food production."

Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said:

“I am delighted to see Fera opening this state-of-the-art insect research laboratory. This is a critical time for innovation in biotechnology and the insect unit has the potential to reduce our impact on the environment, making progress towards a more circular economy.

“The breadth of national and international partners involved will help ensure its success and demonstrates Fera’s international reputation for taking scientific innovation to new markets.”

About Fera:

Fera is a national and international centre of excellence for interdisciplinary investigation and problem solving across plant and bee health, crop protection, sustainable agriculture, food and feed quality and chemical safety in the environment.

We create and deliver integrated, innovative and expert research services and products for our partners in crop protection, chemical and animal health companies, as well as food producers and growers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers. We also support and work closely with governments, academia and leading research organisations.

Fera's Insect Services here: https://www.fera.co.uk/insect-bioconversion-reforming-the-food-system