BROOKINGS — Houdek, formerly known as Prairie AquaTech, continues to demonstrate what is possible when strong partnerships, innovation, and vision come together in Brookings.
What began as a research project at South Dakota State University has grown into a world-class business transforming aquaculture, pet food, and more. The Brookings Economic Development Corp. has supported Houdek and helped foster the growth of cutting-edge biotechnology in the region.
The journey started with Mark Luecke, CEO of Houdek, and South Dakota Innovation Partners, who worked closely with the SDSU Technology Transfer Office to identify promising research with commercial potential. The breakthrough was a new method for enhancing the use of soybean meal in aquaculture feed. With critical support from BEDC, SDSU, South Dakota Soybean Association, National Science Foundation and USDA, the team launched operations through the Brookings Technology Commercialization Center, a business incubator that continues to accelerate the growth of innovative companies. As Houdek has expanded, only the business incubator portion of their operations, the “Back 40,” now operate out of the BTCC.
“The BTCC continues to be an important incubator for new ideas to scale up and spin out into the regional community,” said Luecke. At Back 40, Houdek developed its fermentation process using small fermenters, a specialized feed mill, and a recirculating aquaculture system for real-time testing. Today, they operate a full-scale manufacturing facility in Volga, exporting their high-protein feed/food ingredients globally. In 2022, they were named the South Dakota Small Business Exporter of the Year.
Currently, Houdek is the third-largest user of soybean meal in South Dakota, behind only pork and poultry production. With planned expansions, it could soon become the state’s top soybean meal user. Their success is largely driven by growing customer demand, which has pushed their operations to full production capacity.
“We are selling everything we can produce,” said Luecke. To meet this demand, the company is actively exploring significant expansion opportunities.
Houdek has found many valuable partnerships in Brookings and is committed to growing in the region. A key advantage is their proximity to South Dakota Soybean Processors in Volga, which streamlines their supply chain and supports their soybean meal sourcing. The company is also looking to expand its fermentation process to include other products like other oilseed meals and small grains, increase their market share in the higher-value pet food industry, and enter the human nutrition market where their products have already been tested.
Through their Prairie Pet Nutrition division, Houdek recently earned their Safe Quality Food certification, allowing them to sell to large pet food companies and opening the door to human food-grade certification.
“Everyone knows that cats are very picky eaters, and we were pleased that even they like the taste of our product,” stated Luecke, noting aspects of their plant-based protein ingredients are also known to have strong health and wellness benefits for both pets and humans.
Houdek’s growth and impact are supported by a strong leadership team, including Jeremy Javers, vice president of technology development. A globally recognized expert in aerobic fermentation, Javers completed his PhD under SDSU’s Dr. Bill Gibbons and previously worked at the forefront of the ethanol industry with ICM. His deep roots in South Dakota and expertise in biotechnology brought him back to Brookings when Houdek presented an opportunity to lead cutting-edge research in his home state.
“Good people attract good people,” said Luecke, crediting Javers with helping to draw other global experts to Brookings.
“If not for the partnership with BEDC, we would not be in this position,” added Javers, emphasizing how critical BEDC has been in supporting Houdek’s development and creating a business environment that attracts top talent.
Houdek is poised to continue leading the way in fermentation technology, global exports, and sustainable agriculture, all from the Brookings area.
