OMAHA, NEBRASKA, US — Scoular announced it has broken ground on a new 14,400-square-foot marine protein processing facility in Warrenton, Oregon, US.

The $12 million project is a joint venture with Da Yang Seafoods and Bornstein Seafoods and “will create a larger supply base for our pet food and aquaculture customers,” according to Scoular.

“Scoular has been a leader in these and other feed segments for decades, and we’re honored to continue serving our customers by making this investment,” the company said.

The new plant is expected to be operational by the summer of 2022.

Later this fall, Scoular is expected to open a new $13 million barley protein concentrate processing plant in Jerome, Idaho, US. The new plant will process a new ingredient called Emerge, which will serve as a sustainable, traceable and non-GMO protein alternative for pet food and aquaculture manufacturers, and “the only barley-based protein for feed customers,” according to Scoular.

Scoular announced an exclusive licensing agreement with Montana Microbial Products in June 2020, through which the two companies will produce and market barley protein concentrate for use in pet food and aquaculture feed. These ingredient solutions will be available to North American and Asian processors.

Scoular said its new plants in Oregon and Idaho underscore its growing commitment to expand its presence in the pet food and aquaculture ingredient space. The company began operations at its $50 million freeze-dried ingredient production plant in Seward, Nebraska, US, in October 2020. This business segment, Petsource by Scoular, develops, procures, freeze-dries and packages whole organ meats and meat analogues specifically for pet food manufacturers.