Dnata and Blue Aqua join forces to boost food security in Singapore
Dnata, a leading global air services provider, and Blue Aqua Food Tech (Blue Aqua) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost food
PRESS RELEASE
dnata and Blue Aqua join forces to boost food security in Singapore
Singapore, 4th April 2021 – dnata, a leading global air services provider, and Blue Aqua Food Tech (Blue Aqua) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost food security in Singapore. The partnership will see Blue Aqua upcycle organic waste from dnata’s catering and ground handling operations into alternative insect protein for aquafeeds.
Blue Aqua’s innovative bioconversion solution processes underutilized nutrients from the leftovers that can be transformed into quality insect proteins for aquacultural use. The bioconversion is a virtuous circle that makes the insect protein a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional fishmeal.
Compared to traditional protein, insect protein is a sustainable solution with low land, water, and carbon footprint, offering a very high yield. The partnership will supply Singapore’s farmers with sustainable access to domestically produced animal feed, which is traditionally imported.
The MoU is the starting point to a deeper partnership between Blue Aqua and dnata, which will look into the development and implementation of a ‘Zero Waste’ master plan. The air services provider will also add Blue Aqua to its list of suppliers to purchase locally farmed seafood for its catering operations.
Musdalifa Abdullah, Regional Chief Financial Officer for Asia Pacific, dnata, said: “Given the scale of our operations, we are conscious that a small change could have a major impact when it comes to resource consumption and waste reduction. We are excited to partner with Blue Aqua to further decrease food waste and support the local food production supply chain. We stay committed to minimizing our environmental footprint and delivering the highest value for our customers and the communities around us.”
Dr Farshad Shishehchian, CEO & Founder of Blue Aqua International Group, said: “Blue Aqua has been a strong advocate for sustainable and practical farming since its inception, this partnership with dnata is a perfect fit. We are excited to grow our efforts in food technology to develop a circular economy in aquaculture globally through our network, starting with Singapore.”
The global population is expected to reach 9.9 billion by 2050, and food production has to increase by 70% to fulfil this demand. This is further implicated by food security concerns worldwide and the rapid degradation of valuable farmland. Waste management is a global issue that governments and companies are racing to solve. Singapore imports more than 90% of its food, yet, its food waste amounts to 744,000 tonnes annually. Today, less than 20% of Singapore’s food waste is recycled.
Blue Aqua’s Waste-to-Protein Program aspires to significantly reduce food waste across Singapore’s food supply chain through aquaculture. This is in line with Singapore’s vision of being a ‘Zero Waste Nation’, which means the recycling rate has to be increased to 70%. Singapore has also set a “30 by 30” goal, aiming to have the nation produce 30% of its food domestically by 2030. With this mandate, aquaculture will play an important role in the future of Singapore’s food security. However, local farms still rely heavily on imported feed and raw materials, which the program is aiming to mitigate.
About dnata
dnata is one of the world’s largest air services providers. Established in 1959, the company ensures the aviation industry operates smoothly and efficiently at 126 airports. Offering ground handling, cargo, travel, and flight catering services in 35 countries across six continents, dnata is a trusted partner for over 300 airline customers around the world. In the financial year 2019-20 dnata’s customer-oriented teams handled 681,000 aircraft, moved 2.9 million tonnes of cargo, uplifted more than 93 million meals, and recorded a total transaction value (TTV) of travel services of US$ 3.0 billion. For more information, visit dnata.com.
About Blue Aqua
Blue Aqua Food Tech Pte Ltd is a Food Tech initiative of the well-established Blue Aqua International Group.The goal of the company is to upcycle organic waste to produce alternative protein and phase out animal based protein from fishmeal. Blue Aqua International is a one-stop solution company for the aquaculture industry with solutions for the improvement of health, nutrition, feed quality, and technology transfer. The Group is headquartered in Singapore and present in 14 countries around the world.
Media contact:
Willem Bosch | Marketing Communications Manager
willem.bosch@dnata.sg
Nathalie Lim | VP (Marketing)
nathalie@blueaquaint.com