Products
Grass is processed into four high-quality products through a natural process of pressing, heating and filtering. One is digested grass whose proteins are more digestible for the cow. The other products are grass protein as an alternative to imported soy, sugar with a prebiotic effect and minerals as a vegetable alternative to manure. All can be used more widely than just for the cow. And individually worth more.
Innovations
Our products
Opened grass
Opened grass arises from the first stage of the Grassa process. Freshly cut grass is pulled apart and pressed. The cell contents, containing the soluble nutrients (most unstable proteins, sugars and minerals), are removed with the grass juice. What remains is exposed grass.
The process ensures that proteins in the digested grass become more resistant. The cows can use these resistant proteins directly for the production of milk and meat. As a result, there are much fewer losses. For example, the emissions of nitrogen (NH3) and phosphate (P) are reduced by as much as 30%. Methane (CH4) emissions are reduced by 10 to 15%.
This makes accessible grass, among other things, a high-quality and sustainable alternative to existing roughage such as grass silage and maize silage. When using digested grass in the roughage ration (up to 50% replacement of grass silage or maize silage), the production of milk and meat remains at the same level or even improves.
Application possibilities:
- Roughage for dairy cattle
- Roughage for horses
- Food for hobby animals
- Play food for pigs
Grass protein
The grass juice, obtained from pressing the grass, is heated. The dissolved proteins in the grass juice take on a solid form and are filtered out of the moisture. A grass protein concentrate is created. This grass protein is preserved and used as an ingredient in animal feeds, both wet and dry. In the near future, use for human consumption will also become possible.
After the heating process, grass protein is suitable for consumption by monogastrics (pigs, chickens, fish, dogs and humans). Grass protein has a high-quality amino acid profile, with 17% more essential amino acids than soy protein. This makes grass protein the perfect and sustainable alternative to soy, a product that is cast in a bad light due to its high CO2 footprint and deforestation of tropical jungles. If 25% of the grass in the Netherlands is processed into digested grass, an amount of grass protein concentrate is created that can meet the entire Dutch soy demand.
Application possibilities:
- Fish food
- Pet food
- Pig food
- Chicken feed
- Human application (in the long term)
Sugar with a prebiotic effect (FOS)
The moisture that remains after the filtration of the grass proteins is converted into two concentrates by means of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis.
The sugar concentrate has a high content of Fructo Oligosaccharide (FOS). FOS has a prebiotic effect. Intestinal flora, and thus the immune system of monogastrics, is improved with it. In livestock farming, this reduces the use of antibiotics. Human application (CTA Circularity concept) is also possible in the long term.
Plant based fertilizer
This mineral concentrate contains, among other things, a high content of potassium. It is a plant based fertilizer as an alternative to animal manure and fertilizer. The concentrate can be returned to the grassland as fertilizer or find a vegan application elsewhere in the agricultural sector. The last thing that remains is clean water.
Step by step
In the next 3 to 5 years, Grassa's revenue model will shift slowly from feed to food. Firstly we will focus on high-quality markets, secondly on low-end markets and finally we will scale up to multiple revenue models. Step by step we will introduce and integrate grass as an agri business standard.
