Atarraya

This interview details Atarraya, a Biotechnology company based in the United States. The interview is with Mariana Madrigal, VP of Marketing and Communications at Atarraya.

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What is the origin story of Atarraya?

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Our origin dates back to the coasts of Oaxaca 15 years ago. Born as a civil association that sought to bring prosperity to the area after the devastating hurricane Stan, the organization evolved into a sustainable aquaculture project that germinated in the form of the first biofloc system shrimp farm in Mexico. Through its commercial brand Agua Blanca, the company introduced premium quality sustainable shrimp to the United States market in 2017.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, due to supply chain problems and the high economic and environmental cost of exporting our product from Mexico, we decided to change the strategy and produce closer to our customers in the US. This led us to conceive, conceptualize, design, and implement Shrimpbox, the world's first modular, automated, and scalable sustainable aquaculture farm.

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Thus, in 2022, we opened our training farm in Indianapolis, from which we tested our system in a cold-urban environment and prepared for our expansion in the United States.

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What are some of the biggest challenges facing Atarraya in the future?

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Atarraya faces several challenges as it looks to the future. Firstly, training future farmers is crucial. While Shrimpbox technology is designed for ease of use, expanding operations through third parties necessitates comprehensive training protocols to ensure they meet key performance indicators. Additionally, the distribution logistics for fresh shrimp is a significant challenge, requiring efficient and effective solutions to maintain product quality. Lastly, Atarraya must navigate supply chain dependencies, particularly concerning shrimp feed providers, to ensure consistent and sustainable operations. These challenges are pivotal in Atarraya's journey toward sustainable shrimp farming.

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What is unique about Atarraya compared to competitors?

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Although what we do is unique in itself, some people could consider us a competitor of RAS systems, which before the existence of Shrimpbox could be considered the least aggressive option for the environment for shrimp production.

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Compared to those systems, Shrimpbox has notable advantages:

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• Construction and deployment of farms: a RAS farm can take up to 36 months to build, while a Shrimpbox farm has its first harvest in less than six months after installation.
• Operation: our native Atarraya software facilitates production by automating many of the vital functions of the farm, which means it can operate without the need for specialized staff; on the other hand, RAS farms require the presence of highly specialized human capital permanently, which hinders their scalability.
• Cost-competitiveness: our production costs allow us to compete in price with wild shrimp, while RAS systems require a much higher price premium.
• Product Quality: shrimp produced in Shrimpbox have a texture, taste, and shelf life (up to 14 days without freezing, peeled and deveined, and properly stored) that is notably superior to any other shrimp.

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What is the current size of your growing area(s)?

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We currently operate a training farm with 14 Shrimpboxes, each having a production capacity of 3,300 pounds of shrimp per year, amounting to a total of 46,200 pounds annually. In 2024, we plan to expand our pilot farm to 20 Shrimpboxes. Additionally, two operational partners will commence their shrimp farming using Shrimpbox technology, each having a capacity of 66,000 pounds annually.

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How can people connect with you or learn more about Atarraya?

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Atarraya operates under a radical transparency and open-door policy. We offer monthly farm tours for those interested in our work so they can get to know us closely. Our website, www.atarraya.ai,  is available to the public, where you can find contact forms and company information; you can also follow and contact us through social media: FB: @atarraya.inc IG: @atarraya.ai X: @atarraya_ai LI: Atarraya, Inc.

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We have also created a webinar for new producers where you can learn step-by-step what we do and how to become a Shrimpbox farmer: https://atarraya.hubspotpagebuilder.com/en/webinar-how-to-become-a-shrimpbox-farmer#download-assets

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