INVE Aquaculture highlights how improving efficiency, consistency, and biological performance, especially at the earliest production stages, is becoming the most effective way for producers to manage risk, control costs, and build resilience in an increasingly uncertain market.
If 2025 reinforced one key lesson, it is that early-stage performance is the foundation of aquaculture resilience, a point INVE Aquaculture has long emphasized as a leading feed supplier for these critical stages.
“In 2025, the aquafeed market was less about expansion and more about efficiency,” said Raul Fernando Garcia Abad, Commercial Director at INVE Aquaculture. Across both shrimp and marine fish production, producers are increasingly focused on improving zootechnical performance to reduce the share of feed in overall production costs. “Rather than pushing volumes, the priority has been on predictability, consistency, and getting more value out of each kilogram of feed.”
From a supply-chain perspective, 2025 was shaped by ongoing geopolitical and logistical challenges.
“The continued security situation in the Red Sea has resulted in longer transit times and higher freight costs on Asia-Europe routes, reducing predictability and putting pressure on inventory planning and sourcing strategies. While ingredient availability has generally been maintained, volatility in logistics and transport costs has reinforced the need for more resilient supply chains,” said Sven De Vlieger, Supply Chain Director at INVE Aquaculture.
From a product development standpoint, 2025 further reinforced the shift toward performance-oriented and functional feeds.
“This has driven continued research into alternative protein sources and novel additives, including plant-based ingredients, microbial and fermentation-derived proteins, and insect meals, to meet the high consistency and digestibility requirements of early-stage animals. Overall, the focus remains on delivering biologically reliable solutions while aligning with evolving sustainability expectations,” said Isabel Represas, Product & Business Development Director at INVE Aquaculture.
2026 outlook
Looking ahead to 2026, the company expects continued market dynamics rather than a return to rapid growth. The emphasis is expected to remain on efficiency and biological performance, particularly in early production stages.
“One key opportunity lies in increased investment in local feed production, allowing producers to reduce reliance on imports while maintaining feed quality through the right technology and ingredient selection,” said García Abad.
In 2026, ingredient availability is expected to remain broadly similar to current levels, while pricing volatility is likely to persist.
“Novel ingredients such as insect meal, algae-based omega-3s, and microbial proteins are gaining traction, but they are not yet fully price-competitive with traditional marine ingredients. Soybean prices are expected to remain relatively stable, while fishmeal prices are under upward pressure due to reduced quotas and steady to slightly increased demand,” said De Vlieger.
Geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty, particularly around trade measures and tariff dynamics, is making the operating environment less predictable.
“We are closely monitoring developments and prioritizing stability in how we plan and support customers, with a continued focus on minimizing disruption and maintaining consistent service levels across markets,” García Abad said.
In terms of regional dynamics, INVE Aquaculture expects growth in 2026 to be driven primarily by shrimp production in the Americas, with Ecuador continuing to lead incremental expansion. In marine fish, the Mediterranean remains a key growth region for high-value species such as seabass and seabream.
“This underpins continued demand for high-quality juveniles and reinforces the strategic importance of early-stage performance in these species,” García Abad said.
“In an environment shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, climate variability, and ongoing cost pressure, the most effective investment producers can make is in the earliest stages of production. Improving survival, uniformity, and robustness at this point creates lasting benefits throughout the entire production cycle,” Represas said.
Looking ahead
By 2035, aquaculture nutrition is likely to undergo significant structural change. Further consolidation among feed producers and ingredient suppliers is expected, together with greater vertical integration linking feed, genetics, and farm management. Nutrition will increasingly be part of integrated production models, aligning feeding strategies more closely with genetic potential and on-farm decision-making.
At the same time, the role of marine ingredients in formulations is expected to decline substantially, as they are replaced by microbial and fermentation-based proteins.
“This shift will reduce aquaculture’s reliance on wild fisheries while supporting higher sustainability standards. Artificial intelligence will also play a much larger role, enabling more dynamic feed formulations, precision feeding, and better control over feeding frequency and quantities, with a clear reduction in feed waste,” Represas said.
“Overall feed efficiency is expected to improve markedly, allowing producers to achieve the same biomass with less feed and a lower environmental footprint. Feeds will become increasingly customized—not only by species and life stage, but also by genetic line and production conditions—supported by greater transparency, full ingredient traceability, and clearer insights into nutritional performance,” Represas concluded
Picture taken during AquaExpo International 2025 and features the local Ecuadorian team alongside Patrick Waty, Isabel Represas and Fernando Garcia.
This article was originally published in Aquafeed.com.