Duplaco ramps up chlorella production as antidote to Asian red tape and costs
The Oldenzaal-based firm are expected to expand production from 15 tons to 200 to 300 tons per year with plans to eventually produce 1500 tons per year in the future, according to Engineer and Founder of Duplaco, Marcel Oogink.
“We currently see a strong increase in interest from the supplement and health nutrition industry,” he goes on. “Companies are looking for an alternative to Asian supply as the prices of container shipments from South East Asia have increased 10-fold.
“We furthermore understand that many companies are facing issues with the reliability of supplies, fluctuating qualities, contaminations, and more, like for example the latest issue with ethylene-oxide.
“We can offer our customers a reliable supply of stable, high quality products, reliable documentation and less transport costs.”
Founded in 2012, Duplaco, short for Dutch Plankton Company, are now looking to provide a solution to the algae originating from open cultivation ponds in Southeast Asia.
According to the firm, these ponds are characterised by impurities, supply problems and quality fluctuations. In addition, the long transport routes are anything but sustainable.
Self-developed chlorella process
Duplaco produces its Chlorella via a self-developed process in which the microalgae are “fed” with a carbon source and grown in a sterile fermenter.
The closed system ensures there is no contamination by heavy metals, dioxins or PAHs and the cultivation is independent of sunlight, weather and climate conditions.
The approach ensures that higher volumes of Chlorella can be produced with a small footprint with the harvested Chlorella spray dried and pressed into tablets upon request.
Duplaco are due to appear at this year’s Vitafoods in Geneva on 4 – 8 October, where they will be discussing these tablets, made with 100% Chlorella without any form of coating and additive-free.
“It is very expensive to have green tablets made as manufacturers/contractors primarily make white tablets to avoid the green powder entering their factory,” explains Oogink.
“This is to reduce the need for costly cleaning efforts before they can continue the production of white tablets. We take on this hurdle ourselves, making it appealing for customers.”
Customers and clients include supplement manufacturers that refer to the microalgae’s cultivation within the EU as a selling point.
These manufacturers are also drawn to the microalgae’s 40% protein content and 40 different vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential amino acid that a more health-conscious, sustainability-aware audience can no longer ignore.
Special Vitafoods promo
“Within the industry we see a growing interest in our Chlorella as a source of plant-based protein mainly as a potential solution to optimise the sustainability profile of products while at the same time improving the taste,” says Oogink.
“We developed a Chlorella with very limited levels of chlorophyll, resulting in a yellow gold coloured Chlorella with only a small hint of green. The nutritional profile is similar, except of course for e.g. the chlorophyll levels.
“The yellow-gold version has a very neutral taste, which makes it easy to blend into many different kinds of products without a negative impact on the taste profile. Some customers may prefer our Chlorella with chlorophyll and some without.”
Oogink adds that the firm are having a special Vitafoods promo, where customers who order a minimum of 250kg before November 30, 2021, will get 50kg for free for sampling purposes.
The details of this promo and more information about Duplaco can be downloaded from their website.
“Companies interested in our powder or fresh Chlorella are of course also very welcome to visit our stand and to check out the opportunities of Dutch Duplaco Chlorella for their company,“ he adds.
