Vion Food Group is exploring whether manure generated during and around the slaughter process can be processed directly at slaughterhouse locations instead of being disposed of as waste. At the moment, this manure is a costly residual stream, but early findings show that cattle manure may be suitable for conversion into valuable products such as cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and liquid fertilizer. For pig manure, the feasibility is still uncertain and requires further investigation.
In this challenge, you will explore how this opportunity can be turned into a viable and scalable business case. You will develop and assess one or more business model scenarios, looking not only at Vion’s own operations but also at the wider supply chain. This is especially relevant because more than 50% of dairy farmers in Vion’s supplier network also pay for manure disposal, which creates potential for a broader circular solution.
Your task is to calculate the financial feasibility of these business models and to assess the potential environmental impact. This includes exploring the possible gains in nitrogen reduction and CO2 footprint improvement. The challenge is to turn a costly waste stream into a circular opportunity with both economic and sustainability value.
A scalable business model that evaluates the financial feasibility of manure processing, while also calculating the potential benefits in terms of nitrogen reduction and CO2 footprint improvement, presented in the form of an elevator pitch.
Vion is an international producer of meat, meat products, and plant-based alternatives, with production facilities in the Netherlands and Germany. Vion also has sales support and representative offices worldwide. We supply fresh pork and beef, meat products, plant-based alternatives, and by-products to the retail, foodservice, and meat processing industries.
