v2food implements sustainable wastewater treatment

When plant-based meat company v2food needed a wastewater treatment system that ensured a small environmental footprint, it turned to Australian company Aerofloat for its sustainable wastewater treatment products that are designed to ensure compliant effluent.

With v2food rapidly expanding and diversifying, its wastewater treatment system needed to be both efficient and robust to keep up with growth. The HSE Manager at v2food, Scott Harbridge, said Aerofloat was the preferred wastewater treatment choice, thanks to its clear design and installation process.

“Aerofloat brought a robust solution to the table. We could clearly envision the end product thanks to the 3D CAD designs they offered prior to installation,” Harbridge said.

“Any site challenges were addressed at the design stage and there were no surprises with the system at the time of installation,” he added.

Aerofloat’s engineers designed and installed inline manual screens, wastewater flow balancing tanks totalling 100 m³ capacity, as well as pH correction and controlled discharge to sewer. The aerated and mixed balance tanks blended and hydraulically balanced the incoming wastewater for v2food.

“Aerofloat’s system is simple to operate — we’ve also had Aerofloat’s engineers down to service the system every few months with excellent results. Having that ongoing relationship is also a great way for our operators to upskill and to also understand the mechanics of the system,” Harbridge said.

Aerofloat installed an intelligent HMI and remote monitoring system to allow the v2food team operators access even when not onsite. It also allows Aerofloat’s engineers in Sydney to identify issues and manage the system remotely if required.

“Being in Wodonga, it’s nice to know we can call on Aerofloat’s expertise in Sydney via remote login if needed,” Harbridge added.

v2food is using the latest science from CSIRO to make plant-based food that looks and tastes like meat. The company recently signed with Woolworths and Coles to distribute its Australian-made plant-based mince, burger patties and sausages. It also provides the plant-based meat for Hungry Jack’s Rebel Whopper burger, and collaborates with a number of food delivery giants including Marley Spoon.

According to v2food’s CEO and Founder, Nick Hazell: “Population growth is set to reach 10 billion people by the year 2050. Planet Earth’s resources would need to double to feed the population with animal meat alone.”

Aerofloat has a number of sustainable projects under its belt; working with v2food made sense.

“We really commend the work v2food is doing for the environment. Creating an alternative to meat-based food fits our innovative thinking and aspirations to improve the environment globally,” said Michael Anderson, Aerofloat’s Operations Manager.

“We have enjoyed working with v2food, as like us, they push the status quo. v2food’s vision to create a sustainable food source for our planet fits our own vision for sustainable wastewater solutions,” Anderson said.

“Our engineers have been onsite in January this year supporting the team there with our After Care program. The system is operating well and recent testing results have been well in spec — great news for v2food,” Anderson added.

Aerofloat will showcase its custom-designed and standardised wastewater treatment systems at AUSPACK 2022, including its patented technology. Aerofloat offers products to address a range of wastewater treatment requirements for both large and small food and beverage companies, including processed and packaged food as well as restaurants and shopping malls.