TAILORING THE PROCESS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE FISH World Feeds at its best by Jyothsna Nelloolichalil, International Aquafeed, UK
Imagine a world where fish feed isn’t just a commodity but a precision-engineered nutritional and tailored package for life below water. This visionary approach was designed and brought into reality and is today at the heart of World Feeds, a pioneering aquarium feed producing company nestled in Thorne, Doncaster, UK. International Aquafeed had an opportunity in late autumn to visit the company and understand its unique approach to aquafeed production. Welcomed by Peter Kersh the CEO, Mark Wilson founder and technical director and Tom Noble, the sales director, our experience began with an introduction to the company’s ethos and its flagship brands - VAF and Vitalis. Vitalis, the jewel in the crown of World Feeds, and caters to the diverse dietary needs of aquarium fish. Peter explained that Vitalis feeds are used by leading public aquariums worldwide. Some of the largest exhibits worldwide have been reaping the many nutritional and practical benefits of the company’s feeds over many years. For example, Resort World Sentosa S.E.A. Aquarium, Singapore features a 45 million litre tank, which is home to over 100,000 marine animals of 1000 different species is one such aquarium and another is the 11 million litre multi-species exhibit at the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo that trust the feeds this company produces. On the other hand, in the aquaculture sector, VAF specialises in meeting the nutritional demands of cleaner fish like lumpfish and ballan wrasse which re sued to combat the sea lice problem in the salmon industry. The secret behind the company’s success lies not just in using high-quality ingredients but also in employing scientifically precise formulas and utilising proprietary machinery. And herein lies the crux of its innovation — crafting feeds that are malleable, stable and highly digestible, aligning perfectly with the natural feeding habits of the fish in question. The market scope of these remarkable feeds extends far and wide. While VAF dominates markets in Scotland and Norway, Vitalis enjoys global distribution.
The Genesis
Founded in 2004 by Technical Director Mark Wilson, World Feeds is a South Yorkshire-based company built on the simple premise of improving the way fish are fed. Mark’s history in ornamental aquaculture, including conservation and breeding programmes, steered him into forming a commercial clownfish hatchery. His 32 | December 2023 - International Aquafeed