Specialised Aquatic Feeds

What Specialised Aquatic Feeds does

Specialised Aquatic Feeds (SAF) is a South African formulated aquatic feed manufacturer headquartered in Hermanus, Western Cape. The company produces species- and growth-stage-specific feeds for abalone, trout, tilapia, catfish, and ornamental koi, plus a contract-manufactured pigeon pellet product, using high-pressure extrusion technology that yields sterile, cooked pellets with superior starch gelatinization and digestibility relative to standard cold-pressed feeds. SAF originated as the in-house feed department of Abagold Limited, became self-sufficient in abalone feed production by 2012, and was spun off as an independent legal entity in 2014 to commercialize its formulations across the broader aquaculture sector; a dedicated processing plant in Hermanus has been operational since October 2015. The company sells primarily through a direct, sales-led model led by the Managing Director and a Technical Support and Sales Manager, with pricing conducted via a request-for-quote process and products available in multiple pellet sizes and protein formulations tailored to specific aquaculture production systems. SAF holds Level Three B-BBEE certification and serves both the domestic South African market and limited export pet food customers, employing approximately 8 people.

Name

Specialised Aquatic Feeds

Legal name

Specialised Aquatic Feeds

Website

https://specialisedaquaticfeeds.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Specialised Aquatic Feeds is a South African manufacturer of formulated aquatic feeds for abalone, trout, tilapia, catfish, and koi, produced via high-pressure extrusion. It sells direct to aquaculture operators and offers contract pet food manufacturing from its Hermanus plant.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture Feed Manufacturing

NAICS

Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119)

akta.pro primary industry

Finfish Feed (Salmonids, Trout, Sea Bass/Bream, Tilapia, Catfish) (AFADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grower/Finisher Feed (AFADADAG), Functional & Health Aquaculture Feed (Immunity, Disease Mitigation) (AFADADAI), Fish & Aquarium Feed (Ornamental) (AFADAFAL), Aquaculture Feed & Nutrition (HLAMAHAF)

Keywords

• Aquatic feed manufacturing
• Aquaculture nutrition
• Extruded fish feed
• Abalone feed production
• Commercial aquaculture feeds

Headquarters

HQ city

Hermanus

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Aquatic Feed Sales: Manufacturing and sale of high quality formulated aquatic feeds for tilapia, trout, catfish, abalone, and ornamental fish (koi). Products are sold in various pellet sizes and protein formulations to suit different growth stages and species requirements.
2. Contract Manufactured Pet Foods: Contract manufacturing services for pet foods, including pigeon pellets, for both local and export markets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Specialised Aquatic Feeds manufactures and sells high-quality formulated aquatic feeds for commercial aquaculture species (abalone, trout, tilapia, catfish) and ornamental koi, using high-pressure extrusion technology. The company also produces PNP Pigeon Pellets and offers contract manufacturing services for pet foods for local and export markets, supported by technical advisory on husbandry practices.

Product overview

Specialised Aquatic Feeds is a specialised formulated aquatic feed manufacturer offering a portfolio of species-specific feeds for aquaculture operations. The product line includes Tilapia Feed, Trout Feed, Catfish Feed, Abalone Feed (with sub-products SAF Weaning Feed, SAF 2000 Pellet, SAF 3000 Grower, and SAF 4000 Grower), OptiGoi Koi Feed (with variants OptiColour, OptiBoost, OptiGrowth, OptiGerm, and OptiStaple), and PNP Pigeon Pellets. The company also provides contract manufactured pet foods for local and export markets, and offers technical support services including husbandry practice advice to maximise feed performance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tilapia Feed Optimally balanced tilapia feeds suited for various commercial growing systems, from intensive recirculation systems to extensive open ponds. Available in starter (40% protein) and grow-out formulations (25-35% protein) in pellet sizes from 2mm to 8mm, for commercial tilapia producers.
• Trout Feed High quality trout feeds designed to provide excellent growth and feed conversion rates. Range includes starter feeds (0.5mm-2mm), grower feeds (2mm-10mm), High Temperature feeds for summer, Health Diet feeds for immune support, and Broodstock feeds for optimal ova development, targeted at commercial trout farming operations.
• Catfish Feed Floating catfish feeds optimally formulated for different growth stages, including starter feeds (40% protein, 0.5mm-2mm) and grow-out feeds (32-36% protein, 2mm-12mm). Suitable for aquaponics, intensive grow-out, or recreational home production, aimed at catfish farmers and aquaponics operators.
• Abalone Feed Formulated abalone feeds for weaning, growth, health, and harvest yield, using fully traceable raw materials and no fish oils. Product range includes SAF Weaning feed (spat under 1g), SAF 2000 Pellet (spat to 25g), SAF 3000 Grower (25g to harvest), and SAF 4000 Grower (abalone over 150g, ASC FIFO compliant), serving commercial abalone farms.
• OptiGoi Koi Feed High quality floating koi feed available in small (2mm), medium (4mm), and large (7mm) water-stable pellets, packaged in 1kg pouch, 3kg bucket, 8kg bucket, and 15kg bag sizes. Sub-variants include OptiColour (colour enhancement), OptiBoost (immune system support), OptiGrowth (higher protein for growth), OptiGerm (wheat germ for winter feeding), and OptiStaple (maintenance diet), targeted at koi hobbyists and pond owners.
• PNP Pigeon Pellets Balanced pigeon feed supplements manufactured using high-pressure extrusion for sterility and digestibility. Contains prebiotics, mycotoxin binder, organic acids, vitamins, minerals, and a correct calcium-phosphorus ratio, designed as a supplement to grain mixes during racing and breeding seasons, for pigeon fanciers and breeders.
• Contract Manufactured Pet Foods Toll/contract manufacturing services for pet foods (including pigeon pellets and other extruded pet diets) using SAF's high-pressure extrusion plant, for both local South African and export market customers requiring third-party feed manufacturing.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Abagold LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Abagold Limited, a major abalone farming company, spun off its feed department in 2014 to create Specialised Aquatic Feeds as a separate legal entity. The feed department had originally been established in 2010 when Abagold began producing its own formulated abalone feeds to reduce operational costs. Abagold remains a key customer of Specialised Aquatic Feeds.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Skretting: Global leader in aquaculture feed (a Nutreco company) producing formulated diets for salmonids, trout, tilapia, catfish and shrimp. Most directly comparable to SAF as a pure-play aquaculture feed manufacturer, though operating at vastly larger scale across multiple continents.
• Ridley Corporation: Australian-listed animal feed manufacturer with significant aquaculture feed exposure. Comparable as a publicly-traded, multi-species feed producer with both bulk and specialty pet feed lines, including contract manufacturing.
• BioMar: Danish-headquartered global aquaculture feed manufacturer with species-specific diets for salmon, trout, tilapia, shrimp and other species. Direct competitor in formulated aquaculture nutrition with overlapping species focus.
• De Heus: Dutch global animal nutrition company with a growing aquaculture feed portfolio and active expansion into emerging markets including Africa. Comparable as a multi-species feed manufacturer targeting similar commercial aquaculture customers.
• BernAqua: Belgian-based specialist aquaculture feed manufacturer focused on high-quality diets for shrimp, fish and crustacean hatcheries and grow-out. Comparable as a smaller, specialised aquafeed peer competing on formulation quality rather than scale.

Broad incumbents

• Nutreco: Dutch animal nutrition parent company of Skretting, with aquaculture as its largest segment alongside livestock feed. Comparable as the ultimate parent of SAF's largest direct competitor, with broader portfolio.
• Godrej Agrovet: Indian diversified agribusiness with animal feed, aquaculture feed and crop protection businesses. Comparable as an emerging-market feed conglomerate with aquaculture as a key growth vertical.
• Cargill Aqua Nutrition: Animal nutrition division of Cargill offering aquaculture feeds globally. Overlaps with SAF on species and customers but operates as part of a much broader agricultural commodity and feed conglomerate.
• Alltech: Global animal nutrition company with aquaculture feed offerings and a strong focus on gut health and specialty ingredients. Comparable on aquafeed category but operates across many species and geographies at far larger scale.

Regional players

• Afgri Animal Feeds: South African animal feed manufacturer producing feeds for poultry, livestock and aquaculture. Comparable as a domestic South African feed peer that SAF would compete with locally and a natural acquirer/partner candidate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/specialised-aquatic-feeds

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Specialised Aquatic Feeds