REPLOID Switzerland is launching dog and cat food containing alternative protein sources in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. According to a statement, REPLOID Switzerland, which was established in St. Gallen in 2024 and is a subsidiary of REPLOID based in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria, has secured exclusive general distribution rights for the brands entoVITAL und fungoVITAL developed by HEROSAN healthcare gmbH, which hails from the Austrian federal state of Styria.
“Both product lines come from our circular economy”, emphasizes Lukas Mäder, Managing Director of Switzerland at REPLOID. The insects for entoVITAL are sourced from REPLOID’s ReFarmUnits, while the mushrooms for fungoVITAL are supplied by Vitus Vitality, which is also based in Lower Austria. REPLOID uses the biology of the black soldier fly to its advantage by converting organic waste into insect protein, fat and fertilizer – precisely at the source where the waste is generated. The company builds ReFarmUnits for its customers. These are modular facilities where black soldier fly larvae are fed a site-specific substrate mix and subsequently processed to serve customers in the pet food industry, for example.
“Raising the larvae does not require any pasture areas and there is no slaughter waste”, the company states. The insect feces serve as the basis for REPLOID’s premium organic fertilizer. The company lists the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and the Bern University of Applied Sciences as its research partners from Switzerland, in addition to Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency.
Vitus Vitality grows its certified organic fresh mushrooms in Perschling, Lower Austria. In addition to HEROSAN, its client base encompasses supermarket chains such as Spar, Billa and Hofer.
“An increasing number of dog and cat owners are demanding new protein sources for their pets”, Mäder states. “With entoVITAL and fungoVITAL, we are in a position to offer them a full range of products in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, both through our own shop and in veterinary practices”. REPLOID uses its own logistics network to handle distribution activities, for which it arranges shipping from its warehouse in Switzerland. ce/mm