For the fourth year running, IFFO membership is continuing to grow, reaching out to developing markets in Asia and expanding to new businesses within the marine ingredients sphere.
Membership of IFFO, The Marine Ingredients Organisation, now stretches across 60 countries, with companies ranging from the world’s largest fish oil and fish meal producers to local traders, financial institutions and new emerging markets such as algae-derivatives.
Over 50 years ago, when IFFO was first formed, originally as the International Association of Fish Meal Manufacturers, there was no aquaculture industry using fishmeal as a key ingredient of farmed fish feed and fish oil was not yet considered as a health supplement for human diets. Both are now major markets and have stimulated a widening of the raw materials used to produce the valuable marine proteins and oils. At the same time, the markets have more choices and expect more transparency than ever before, creating challenges and opportunities for the industry.
Another key factor has been the need for third party certification to demonstrate responsible sourcing of raw materials and good manufacturing practice. The IFFO Responsible Supply Scheme (IFFO RS), launched in 2009, has also attracted many companies and represents approximately 40% of the global production, with over 100 plants certified by independent audit against the standard.
