ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, US — Benson Hill, Inc. announced Feb. 2 that Riverence Holdings, LLC, a land-based producer of steelhead and rainbow trout, has committed to buying its 2022 supply of Benson Hill’s ultra-high protein (UHP) soy ingredients for use in trout diets and to enhance the sustainability of the aquaculture supply chain 

Benson Hill’s soy ingredients will be incorporated into the aquaculture diets manufactured by Riverence’s preferred supplier Rangen, a brand of Wilbur-Ellis Nutrition.

“Benson Hill has developed soy ingredients that are uniquely suited for aquaculture and check all the boxes from a nutrition, sustainability and cost perspective,” said Jesse Trushenski, chief science officer of Riverence, based in Boise, Idaho, US. “It’s exciting to have a product designed for our market that supports improved performance of our fish, is traceable, and has a very clean carbon and water profile.”

Feed is the primary cost of the aquaculture system and a major contributor to its carbon and water footprint. Benson Hill said its proprietary soybean varieties expressing UHP and low anti-nutrient levels reduce the need for processing steps to concentrate protein levels. The result is a minimally processed ingredient that requires significantly less water and CO2e to produce than commodity soy protein concentrate (SPC), the company said.

Benson Hill said it works with farmers to grow its UHP soybean varieties with an emphasis on using regenerative agriculture practices under a policy that prohibits deforestation. Through this collaboration, the companies are working to develop a supply of traceable and deforestation-free certified Benson Hill ingredients to serve the Riverence supply chain.