JEROME, IDAHO — Scoular cut the ribbon at its Emerge™ facility, where it will produce concentrated barley protein for use in pet food and aquafeed, on Dec. 7. The new business and ingredient aims to meet growing demand for sustainable, plant-based animal food ingredients.
“Idaho is the top-producing barley state in the US, growing 37% of the nation’s crop in 2021,” said Laura Wilder, executive director of the Idaho Barley Commission, who attended the ribbon-cutting event. “Scoular’s new facility will bring expanded opportunities for growers, further strengthening Idaho’s place as the No. 1 source of consistent, high-quality barley in the US.”
The ingredient will be produced through a patent-pending process developed by Montana Microbial Products, which uses whole barley kernels to create a nutrient-dense protein ingredient. It will be non-GMO and traceable. According to Scoular, Emerge will be the only barley protein on the market for feed customers.
Scoular expects to begin commercial production of its barley protein concentrate in January 2022.
“Scoular is proud to develop this innovative feed product and partner with Idaho’s barley farmers and pet food and aqua feed manufacturers to add value throughout the supply chain,” said Paul Maass, chief executive officer of Scoular. “Scoular has a long history of success with our Jerome, Idaho, teams and customers, and we are thrilled to make additional investments in this region.”
Alongside Wilder and Maass, the facility opening was attended by David Faith, chairman of Scoular’s board of directors, and Mike Williams, city administrator of Jerome. Key partners of the project included the Jerome 20/20 Economic Development Organization, Scott Jackson Trucking, Starr Corporation and Bratney Companies.
The company first announced this venture and its partnership with Montana Microbial Products in June 2020. Jerome was selected as the location for the new facility in August 2020, and the business name “Emerge” was announced in May 2021.
This is one of several pet-centric ventures in which Scoular is currently invested. The company introduced Petsource by Scoular in March 2019, a premium freeze-dried protein manufacturing venture specifically serving the pet food industry. After investing an initial $50 in a facility in Seward, Neb., Scoular announced November 2021 another $75 million investment to triple the plant’s production capacity.
In August 2021, the company broke ground on a 14,400-square-foot facility in Oregon, where it will produce marine protein ingredients for pet food and aquaculture markets in partnership with Da Yang Seafoods and Bornstein Seafoods.
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