Feed Design Lab

Feed Design Lab (FDL) is the research and education center for innovation and sustainability in the feed industry. Located in the port of Wanssum, in the center of EiwitRijk (“the protein empire”) Venray, FDL and opened its doors on April 4th, 2014. This unique cooperation project between businesses, institutions of higher learning, and governments totals 65 partners. Open innovation and sharing knowledge form the basis of Feed Design Lab. By working together on innovation and by sharing this knowledge, Feed Design Lab contributes to the ambition of achieving a sustainable production chain.

Renting the test factory, providing training to future employees and professionals, and developing projects are among Feed Design Lab’s most important activities. Feed Design Lab is unique in this: nowhere else in Europe do education, research, and the production of experimental/test feed take place within the same institute.
The setting provides the perfect environment for open innovation in the feed industry and is utilized by many partners in the network who aspire to find new resources, develop new technologies and processes, and to educate young people in the sector.

Feed Design Lab activities can be divided into three business units: facilities, projects, and education. All activities related to these three business units are expressed in the “innovation program” which consists of Health & Well-Being, Alternative Resources, New Technology, and Efficiency & Environment. One of the main topics within FDL regarding innovation is the search for alternative protein sources (and decreased dependence on soy products), and insect protein offers promising possibilities.