Frederic Grimaud, CEO of Groupe Grimaud, kicked off the meeting in the office of one of its high-tech companies “Vivalis” in Nantes.

He started with a short overview of the group’s activities, which is a solid family group, developing know-how and products in the life science field, applied to animal genetic selection and biopharmacy. Frederic also explained the reasons for its investments in the layer industry.

Eggs are a relatively cheap protein source with a high nutritional value for a global human population that grows with 220,000 people per day, which makes the global egg market (mainly ‘local for local’) grow with a steady pace of 2 per cent to 3 per cent per year. In the years to come, Groupe Grimaud wants to further develop its worldwide leadership position in animal genetics and in biopharmacy serving human and animal health.

With its ‘Natural Concept’, Groupe Grimaud also practices a unique vision on sustainable breeding and production of animal protein. Mickaël Le Helloco, General Manager of NOVOGEN, talked about the global egg market and its specific features by region and how NOVOGEN responds to the different needs of each market. NOVOGEN focusses on high quality products, productivity (longevity and persistency), efficiency and suitability for various production systems. NOVOGEN’s dedicated, professional and passionate team enables a global R&D, production and sales approach.

NOVOGEN has its own R&D facilities in Europe and North America and shares Groupe Grimaud’s knowhow and experience in animal genetics. NOVOGEN already delivered its products to more than 40 countries around the world. Part of the success of NOVOGEN is due to the fact that NOVOGEN has a strong and continued focus on, and understanding, of customer demands. Over the last few years NOVOGEN was able to realise a substantial market share in a market that was dominated by just a few players, thus giving support to their credo that NOVOGEN is more than just an alternative; it is a real economical solution! Thierry Burlot, R&D Director of NOVOGEN, explained that it is very important to take as a starting point for selection the understanding that a bird’s adaptation to different circumstances is based on the «Genotype*Environment Interaction».

Birds have to be selected under the particular conditions in which we want them to perform best. So it’s not only the genetic potential, but it is also the adaptation of a bird in a specific environment that results in the final performance. «Bottom line» the objective for R&D is thus to select for better eggs in different production systems. The well-trained team of NOVOGEN uses the latest technology regarding IT-platform, Quantitative Selection (BLUP) en Marker Assisted Selection.

On top of this, NOVOGEN R&D is in a continuous close contact with Groupe Grimaud experts on animal selection and various external Research Centres, enabling them to validate findings and further improve performance of birds and to continue to be on the forefront of state-of-the-art research & development (meanwhile ‘keeping both feet on the ground’...). Years of trials and on-going genetic selection made it possible to introduce the NOVOgen Brown, Tinted and White in 2008, proven to be the best possible answer for high quality products, productivity, efficiency and ability to produce in various production systems. And every new generation will show an on-going improvement, leading NOVOGEN and its customers step by step to the top!