InnovaFeed
InnovaFeed is a French biotech company that breeds Black Soldier Fly larvae to produce insect protein, oil, and frass fertilizer for aquaculture, pet food, livestock, and crop markets, selling ingredients under the Hilucia brand via long-term contracts with major feed manufacturers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What InnovaFeed does
InnovaFeed is a French industrial biotechnology company that breeds and processes Black Soldier Fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) into protein meal, oil, and frass fertilizer for the animal feed, pet food, and agriculture industries. The company's core technology platform, branded Hilucia, leverages an industrial symbiosis model that co-locates insect farming facilities with major agro-industrial partners — Tereos in Nesle (France), ADM in Decatur (Illinois), and Kogeban biomass — enabling the conversion of low-value agricultural co-products and waste heat into high-quality protein ingredients. With the 55,000 m2 Nesle facility positioned as the world's largest active insect production site and a newly opened North American Insect Innovation Center (NAIIC), InnovaFeed has built a vertically integrated industrial platform with proprietary breeding, bioprocessing, and quality control capabilities.
The business model centers on B2B enterprise sales of ingredient inputs to feed formulators, aquafeed manufacturers, pet food brands, and retailers. Revenue is anchored by long-term supply contracts with major feed industry players including ADM, Cargill, BioMar, Skretting, Auchan, and Alltech Coppens, with the ADM and Cargill contracts reportedly totaling nearly €1 billion over ten years. The company has produced more than 15,000 tons of protein and oil cumulatively, sells through co-branding partnerships with pet food companies Jiminy's and Arch, and distributes Hilucia Frass fertilizer via Agryco. The three co-founders — Clément Ray, Aude Guo, and Bastien Oggeri — continue to lead the company, supported by a CXO bench including CTO, CFO, CBO, COO, and CIO.
The company has raised over $500 million across multiple equity rounds (Series A through D, plus a 2026 extension) from investors including QIA, Temasek, Creadev, ADM, Cargill, and impact funds. As of mid-2026, InnovaFeed is operating with approximately 350 employees across France and the United States, has restructured its R&D footprint with 60 positions cut primarily at Gouzeaucourt, and is shifting its strategic emphasis from research and development toward commercial deployment and offtake delivery against its contracted volumes. The company holds B Corp and Naturland certifications and is recognized among France's leading technology companies via French Tech 120 and NEXT40 designations.
InnovaFeed firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- InnovaFeed
- Legal name
- Innovafeed SAS
- Website
- https://innovafeed.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- InnovaFeed is a French biotech company that breeds Black Soldier Fly larvae to produce insect protein, oil, and frass fertilizer for aquaculture, pet food, livestock, and crop markets, selling ingredients under the Hilucia brand via long-term contracts with major feed manufacturers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
InnovaFeed industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animal Feed Ingredients
- NAICS
- Animal Food Manufacturing (3111), Animal Production and Aquaculture (112), Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Insect Farming (Crickets, Mealworms, Black Soldier Fly) (AFAEAIAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Livestock & Poultry Nutrition (Feed & Premixes) (HLAMAHAD)
Keywords
Where InnovaFeed is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
InnovaFeed business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hilucia Protein Meal: Sale of insect protein meal derived from Black Soldier Fly larvae for use in aquaculture feed, pet food, and land animal feed. The company has produced over 15,000 tons of protein and oil. Major long-term contracts with ADM and Cargill totaling nearly 1 billion euros over ten years.
- Hilucia Oil: Sale of insect oil for animal nutrition applications including aquaculture feed, pet food, and land-based animals. Oil contains high lauric acid content (>40%) for nutritional and functional benefits.
- Hilucia Frass: Sale of insect manure (frass) as sustainable fertilizer for agricultural crops. Received $11.8M USDA grant to build fertilizer production facility in Decatur, Illinois targeting North American markets.
- Co-branding and Licensing: Brand licensing through Powered by Hilucia label partnerships with pet food companies like Jiminy's and Arch for sustainable pet food products.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
InnovaFeed product offering
Product offeringCore offering
InnovaFeed is a biotechnology company that industrializes the breeding and processing of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae to produce three core ingredients: Hilucia Protein (insect protein meal), Hilucia Oil (insect lipid with high lauric acid), and Hilucia Frass (insect-manure fertilizer). These ingredients are sold to aquaculture feed producers, pet food manufacturers, livestock feed companies, and agricultural fertilizer distributors for use in their respective formulations.
Product overview
InnovaFeed operates as a biotechnology company specializing in insect-based ingredients for animal and plant nutrition. The company's product portfolio centers on the Hilucia™ brand, which encompasses protein, oil, and frass (fertilizer) products derived from Black Soldier Fly larvae (Hermetia illucens). The Hilucia product line includes specialized applications for aquaculture (salmon, trout, shrimp), pet food (dogs and cats), land-based animals (poultry, pigs), agricultural crops, and oleochemical applications. InnovaFeed produces these ingredients at industrial-scale facilities in France (Nesle, Gouzeaucourt) and the U.S. (Decatur, Illinois), utilizing an industrial symbiosis model that co-locates with agricultural and agro-industrial partners to convert low-value biomass into high-quality protein. The company recently completed its industrialization phase and is transitioning from R&D to commercial deployment and market expansion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hilucia™: Product brand for insect-based ingredients including protein, oil, and frass for aquaculture, pet food, land animals, crops, and oleochemical applications
- Hilucia™ Protein
- Hilucia™ Oil
- Hilucia™ Frass
Products and services
- Hilucia™ Protein
Quantifiable outcome
- 6.7% improvement in Specific Growth Rate and 5% reduction in Feed Conversion Ratio in freshwater Atlantic salmon
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use InnovaFeed
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
InnovaFeed technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
InnovaFeed partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.
- AmbiotisminorResearch partnership demonstrating anti-inflammatory potential of insect-based ingredient for pet nutrition.
- OndaminorResearch partnership demonstrating anti-inflammatory potential of insect-based ingredients in salmon nutrition.
- IRBIminorCreated FrenchFly joint venture to unlock final scientific and technological barriers to sustainable insect protein production in France.
- NaturAlleva (NatureAlleva)coreCommercial partnership for Mediterranean aquaculture. NaturAlleva integrating BSFL ingredients into sea bass and sea bream feed formulations starting January 2026. Joint R&D on functional properties.
- BioMarcore2025 landmark partnership with Auchan to accelerate commercialization of insect meal in Ecuador shrimp feed. BioMar integrating Hilucia protein into commercial formulations.
- AgrycomajorStrategic partnership to market Hilucia Frass, an innovative sustainable fertilizer. Global distribution partnership for agricultural applications.
- Jiminy'smajorCo-branding partnership for sustainable pet food products under Hilucia brand. Launched August 2024.
- ArchmajorCo-branding partnership for sustainable pet food products under Hilucia brand. Launched August 2024.
- ADMcorePartnership to build world's largest insect protein facility in Decatur, Illinois. ADM provides corn co-products to feed insects and waste energy for operations. Long-term contracts totaling nearly €1B over ten years. NAIIC inaugurated April 2024.
- CargillcorePartnership to develop sustainable animal feed including aquaculture and land animals. Extended from aquaculture to pig feed applications. Long-term supply contracts.
- TereoscoreIndustrial symbiosis partnership at Nesle site. Tereos provides starch facility co-products as insect feed and utilities. First-of-its-kind collaboration enabling local co-product valorization.
- AuchancoreLaunched responsible farmed trout using insect-fed fish. Extended to pork products with insect oil. 2025 landmark partnership to accelerate insect meal commercialization through BioMar.
- KogebancoreIndustrial symbiosis partnership at Nesle. Kogeban provides waste energy that Innovafeed harnesses, enabling energy-efficient production.
- SkrettingmajorGlobal aquafeed manufacturer distributing Hilucia ingredients in feed formulations for various aquaculture species.
- Alltech CoppensminorEuropean aquafeed company distributing Hilucia ingredients in feed formulations.
- BarentzminorIngredient distributor for animal nutrition products including insect-based ingredients.
- Hello NatureminorPartner for fertilizer and bio-stimulant distribution.
- NealiaminorChannel partner for product distribution.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
InnovaFeed competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- AgriProtein (Insectta): Originally South African, now operating as Insectta in Malaysia, farming Black Soldier Fly larvae for animal feed. Comparable technology and product set but smaller scale; relevant as an emerging BSFL player in Asia.
- Entofood: Malaysian BSFL producer focused on palm oil waste valorization for animal feed and aquaculture. Overlaps with InnovaFeed in industrial symbiosis concept and BSFL product line, but with a regional Asian focus.
- Hexafly: Irish BSFL producer developing protein and frass for animal feed, pet food, and fertilizer. Comparable species and product portfolio to InnovaFeed but at smaller scale and primarily focused on European markets.
Broad incumbents
- Skretting: Global aquafeed manufacturer (Nutreco subsidiary) and InnovaFeed channel partner distributing Hilucia ingredients. Comparable in aquaculture feed end market but operates as a downstream feed formulator rather than insect protein producer.
- BioMar: Global aquafeed manufacturer that is both a customer and a 2025 co-commercialization partner of InnovaFeed. Comparable in serving aquaculture end markets, though BioMar is a downstream customer/partner rather than a producer of insect protein.
- Bühler Group: Swiss plant engineering and processing equipment provider with dedicated insect protein processing technology. Serves the same insect protein industry as InnovaFeed as a technology and infrastructure supplier rather than a direct competitor.
Direct peers
- Nutrition Technologies: Singapore-based BSFL producer manufacturing protein meal, oil and frass for animal feed and fertilizer across Southeast Asia. Comparable in species and product portfolio (protein/oil/frass) with InnovaFeed, though focused on Asian markets.
- Protix: Dutch company farming Black Soldier Fly larvae for animal feed and pet food ingredients. InnovaFeed cites Protix as the sector's second-largest producer, making it the most direct peer in species, geography, and end markets.
- EnviroFlight: US-based Black Soldier Fly larvae producer focused on animal feed and aquafeed. Operates in the same species category as InnovaFeed and targets overlapping North American customers, making it a relevant direct peer especially post-Innovafeed's US expansion.
- Ÿnsect: French insect protein company producing mealworm-based ingredients for pet food, aquafeed, and fertilizer. Closest direct competitor to InnovaFeed in the European insect farming sector, using a different species (Tenebrio molitor) but targeting the same B2B feed and pet food customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
InnovaFeed social profiles
Digital presenceInnovaFeed compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
InnovaFeed financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
InnovaFeed leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
InnovaFeed subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
InnovaFeed funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors16 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
InnovaFeed M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about InnovaFeed
What does InnovaFeed do?
InnovaFeed is a biotechnology company that industrializes the breeding and processing of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae to produce three core ingredients: Hilucia Protein (insect protein meal), Hilucia Oil (insect lipid with high lauric acid), and Hilucia Frass (insect-manure fertilizer). These ingredients are sold to aquaculture feed producers, pet food manufacturers, livestock feed companies, and agricultural fertilizer distributors for use in their respective formulations.
Is InnovaFeed a public or private company?
InnovaFeed is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was InnovaFeed founded?
InnovaFeed was founded in 2015. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is InnovaFeed based?
InnovaFeed is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does InnovaFeed make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hilucia Protein Meal is the primary driver. The others are hilucia Oil, hilucia Frass and co-branding and Licensing.
Who are InnovaFeed's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are AgriProtein (Insectta), Entofood and Hexafly. Broad incumbents are Skretting, BioMar and Bühler Group. Direct peers are Nutrition Technologies, Protix, EnviroFlight and Ÿnsect.
Does InnovaFeed have an API?
No public API is recorded for InnovaFeed.
What industry is InnovaFeed in?
InnovaFeed's product category is Animal Feed Ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEAIAI, Insect Farming (Crickets, Mealworms, Black Soldier Fly), with a secondary code of HLAMAHAD, Livestock & Poultry Nutrition (Feed & Premixes). Its NAICS code is 3111 and its SIC code is 2000.