BALATON, Minn. — The trū Shrimp Companies, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Brian Knochenmus to lead the company as President & CEO in addition to his current role as Chairman of the Board. Knochenmus will be tasked with achieving trū Shrimp’s next milestone of launching a commercial-scale production facility in Madison, SD. Having spent the previous 25 years of his career with Ralco Nutrition, Inc., in roles ranging from production, marketing, Vice President, and most recently, President & CEO, Knochenmus brings his experience, vision and understanding of technology, food, and manufacturing. trū Shrimp was born as a division of Ralco, out of a vision that Knochenmus had for revolutionizing the way shrimp are grown.
“I am thrilled to step into this role and bring to completion our dream of building a fully-integrated chitosan and shrimp business,” said Knochenmus. “Opportunities like this come along once in a lifetime. What we are building is new to the world, and perfectly aligns to demands for breakthrough medical technologies and a high-quality, responsible food supply. As we approach the final phase of commercializing this amazing technology, the work has only intensified. I’ve felt for some time the need to add resources and begin to divide the work.”
Current President & CEO Michael Ziebell has assumed a new role as Chief Operating Officer, running the day-to-day operations and further growing the customer base for trū Chitosan and trū Shrimp, thereby allowing Knochenmus to focus his energy on raising capital and charting the course for future growth.
“Over the years, I’ve greatly appreciated Brian’s leadership as board chairman. We share a common vision for this company and a passion for creating products that are sustainably produced and fill voids in the markets in which we operate,” stated Ziebell. “This really is a key moment for our company. With Brian stepping into the role of President & CEO, and the continuity I can provide in my new position, I have never been so confident in our future.”
Knochenmus believes that trū Shrimp has demonstrated that they can produce the world’s finest chitosan created from the shells of the sustainably-produced shrimp they grow, both of which fuel the economics of the business. He adds, “The final step is raising the remaining capital to build a large-scale production facility to keep up with the demand we are generating.”
About The trū Shrimp Companies, Inc.
From its inception in 2014, The trū Shrimp Companies, Inc. has pioneered the development and commercialization of a breakthrough, scalable and shallow-water indoor platform that enables controlled, predictable production of shrimp and, more importantly, shrimp shell tissue. The trū Shrimp Companies’ patented, proprietary Tidal Basin™ Technology was engineered to ensure industry-leading supply chain traceability, predictable and consistent output, and measured and documented sustainability. The Company’s product lines include USP chitosan for medical applications from its shrimp shell tissue, premium consumer shrimp, and a high protein, low-fat pet food ingredient. Learn more at www.trushrimp.com.
