Opening of New Insect Rearing Facility

The aquaponics company Solos and the biotechnology company Reploid are opening the first insect rearing facility in South Tyrol and presenting the potential of the local circular economy during a press aperitif.

Solos and Reploid began their collaboration within the framework of the Interreg project “Circular Economy Food Cycle,” coordinated by IDM South Tyrol. The project’s goal is to transform food by-products into high-value supply chains.

For over a year, Solos has been researching the development of a sustainable, alternative fish feed based on insect proteins, within the Interreg Italy-Austria project “Fish,” to replace environmentally problematic fishmeal. The new insect rearing facility closes a loop in regional fish farming. The facility will convert organic residues into high-quality animal feed, with the feed for insect larvae sourced from locally procured residues in cooperation with the company Ecorott from Auer. This collaboration enables the efficient reintroduction of residues into food and feed production.

The official presentation of the facility and the potential of the local circular economy will take place during a press aperitif at the Solos Competence Center for Aquaponics in Tramin. In addition to Matthäus Kircher (Co-founder and CEO Solos) and Manuel Mairinger (CEO Reploid Italia), Thomas Lintner (Ecorott), Petra Untermarzoner (Coordinator CE-Food Cycle, IDM), Martha Gärber (Director of the Europe Department, Autonomous Province of Bolzano and Managing Authority of the Interreg Italy-Austria Program), Hubert Hofer (Deputy CEO, NOI Techpark), and Wolfgang Oberhofer (Mayor of Tramin) will also be present to underscore the significance of this innovative project. The partners look forward to a stimulating exchange, in the spirit of their motto: “What one cannot achieve alone, many achieve together.”