Herba Invest Europe
Herba Invest Europe
| Call | 1st Call for Project Proposals – Stage A – Submission of Concept Note by the Lead Beneficiary |
| Priority Axis | PRIORITY 1 - Transition to a low carbon economy |
| Specific Objective | RSO2.6. Promoting the transition to a circular and resource efficient economy |
| Country | North Macedonia |
| Organization / Entity | Herba Invest Europe |
| First Name | Iva |
| Last Name | Messner-Ristovska |
| Address | Ulica 6 broj 192 |
| office@herbainvest.org | |
| Contact Phone | 0038971216213 |
| What type of beneficiaries are you looking for? | We are looking for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), micro-enterprises, and private companies registered and operating in North Macedonia that are interested in implementing green investments, circular economy projects, resource efficiency measures, waste valorization (e.g., agricultural or industrial by-products), sustainable production, or energy-efficient upgrades. |
| Project idea title | SWE2P&P |
| Specific problem to be addressed | The meat processing industry in North Macedonia generates significant volumes of by-products and waste that are currently under-valorized, resulting in environmental pollution, high disposal costs, and lost economic value. Our company aims to become the first in the country to systematically address this challenge by valorizing meat waste through an innovative extraction process. This transforms the waste into high-value proteins (for food, feed, or nutraceutical applications) and bio-phosphates (for medical use), achieving full resource recovery, zero-waste principles, and alignment with circular economy goals. |
| Main project activities planned | Valorizing meat waste via Extraction process - Subcritical Water Extraction, zero waste, zero pollution. Creation of proteins and bio-phospates, packing and sale in collaboration with a local meat industry. |
| Expected outputs and results | The project will deliver measurable environmental, economic, and social benefits through a scalable, circular valorization model: Significant reduction of meat waste: Achieve up to 70–90% diversion of meat processing by-products from landfills, incineration, and low-value disposal in the first 3–5 years of operation, moving the North Macedonian meat industry toward zero-waste status. Environmental impact: Prevent methane emissions, groundwater/soil pollution, and odor issues associated with uncontrolled waste disposal; contribute to national circular economy targets and EU-aligned pollution reduction goals. High-value product generation: Produce premium-quality proteins (hydrolysates/isolates) and bio-phosphates suitable for: Food & nutraceutical industry (human-grade protein ingredients) Pet food & animal nutrition sector Medical, dental, and pharmaceutical applications (e.g., collagen-based materials, bone-regeneration phosphates) Economic outcomes: Create multiple revenue streams from previously discarded waste Generate sustainable profit margins through sales of high-value extracts Enable re-investment of profits into facility expansion, increased extraction capacity, and technology upgrades Scalability & long-term vision: Gradually enlarge processing capacity to absorb growing volumes of meat industry by-products, ultimately supporting the sector in achieving full zero-waste operations while delivering consistent returns to investors and stakeholders. |
| State your area of expertise / interest | Circular economy & waste valorization — especially agricultural and meat industry by-products (proteins, bio-phosphates, zero-waste processes) |