FDI launches organic collagen skincare range that uses beef hides and liver

In a move touted to deliver an increase of than five times the value of the beef co-products utilised, innovative Queensland company Freeze Dry Industries, or FDI, will launch the world-first certified organic collagen skincare and supplements range next week.

FDI's Michael Buckley and Fiona Dobbrick said the concept of taking a bovine byproduct that was severely undervalued and inventing something that gives it a solid market would be a strong element of the marketing of the range.

"Everyone is factoring in the environment, recycling, sustainability and provenance when making personal consumption purchase choices," Mr Buckley said.

"Certified organic means there was a set of rules in place to look after the land and the animals in the production of these collagen products."

But the element of 'upcycling' the carcase products is an added, unique element that would put FDI's collagen products into a niche market space.

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Marketed under the label Organic Collagen Australia, the wellness range was developed with the assistance of funding from Meat & Livestock Australia, which allowed for the exploration of how freeze drying technology could be used to extract collagen from the red meat products.

Mr Buckley explained freeze drying was a process that preserves otherwise perishables by freezing the material and then gently extracting the water from it. As a result, the material keeps its natural values but becomes ultra light weight which also makes it more convenient to transport and store.

FDI, which has a state-of-the-art factory in Yandina on the Sunshine Coast, has made significant advances in freeze dry technology since its inception in 2017. Over the past five years, the organisation has evolved from a start-up service provider to invent its own technology and use that to create unique products that tackle farmed waste.

While other ag products are being investigated, Mr Buckley said FDI was very much 'red meat central' and the partnership with MLA was instrumental.

"Our imagination is having these skincare products and supplements on butcher shop shelves, demonstrating how the beef producer supplies a range of industries, and we would welcome any re-seller inquiries along those lines," he said.

Organic Collagen Australia will launch in the domestic market first but preparations to export the product to the United States and Japan are already underway.

The business plans to maintain all operations in Australia and Mr Buckley was confident in the ability to source the organic hides and livers as demand grows.

"Organic farming is increasing, with plenty of new players emerging and our investigations show the Australian supply is definitely there," he said.

MLA experts say low-value bovine and ovine inputs including glands and organs - known as the 'fifth quarter' of the carcase - are experiencing a change in fortune that will provide benefits right through the supply chain.

SEE: Beyond the butcher - lucrative new markets for cattle products

Consumer demand for nutraceutical products sourced from grassfed cattle raised without pesticides or herbicides is growing by the day - with products such as those offered by Organic Collagen Australia top of the list, according to MLA.

John Marten, MLA program manager for food innovation, sees these changes as a move in the right direction for opening up new markets for Australian meat processors.

"The impact of the fifth quarter is significant because it will allow us to play in world markets where we traditionally haven't had a presence," he said.