Frozen food company, Nomad Foods, and BlueNalu, a developer of seafood products directly from fish cells, are collaborating to introduce cell-cultured seafood in Europe.
Europe is the largest importer of seafood in the world due to high consumption rates, with EU citizens consuming more than three times as much as they produce.
The agreement represents the first of its kind in Europe between a consumer packaged goods company and a cell-cultured seafood company, and underpins Nomad Foods’ commitment to sustainable growth through the development and scaling of emerging food technologies.
The agreement also signifies a mutual interest in the commercialisation of cell-cultured seafood in Europe to help meet rising demand and support wider efforts to safeguard the long-term availability of quality, affordable seafood that is healthy for people and sustainable for the planet.
It includes a collaboration to conduct market research and identify consumer insights, assess regulatory requirements, and explore new business and product opportunities that would be unlocked by the introduction of cell-cultured seafood throughout Europe.
“The food industry is at a transformational moment as consumer demand for nutritious, high-quality food is growing, the importance of sustainability has never been more apparent, and the role of technology in delivering these needs is accelerating,” said Stéfan Descheemaeker, CEO of Nomad Foods.
“We are at the forefront of a generational shift towards healthier, more sustainable eating and are delighted to announce our collaboration with BlueNalu. Their breakthrough technology in cell-cultured seafood perfectly aligns with our purpose and will enable us to continue to introduce innovative and great tasting seafood products that are good for people, good for the planet and accessible to all.”
Lou Cooperhouse, President and CEO of BlueNalu, added: “As the latest IPCC report4 on the climate crisis demonstrates, the decisions we make over the next decade will have a profound impact on life on this planet for generations to come.
“We are excited by the opportunity to collaborate with Nomad Foods, which has revered, market-leading brands such as Birds Eye, Findus and iglo, to accelerate our market strategy in Europe.
“With this announcement, BlueNalu is well-positioned to bring our leading-edge innovation into Europe in the coming years, which complements our existing collaborations in Asia and North America.”
