June 14, 2022

 

Sweden's RE:OCEAN set to produce 10,000 tonnes of salmon annually with large-scale facility

 

Sweden-based salmon producer RE: OCEAN is building a large-scale, sustainable facility where salmon will be grown on land in a sea-like environment.

 

Some 10,000 tonnes of salmon are set to be produced annually by as early as 2026.

 

The project is backed by Sweden's three leading grocery retailers – Axfood, Coop, and ICA – which see considerable opportunities in land-based salmon farming to offer consumers sustainable salmon from the country. The first batch of salmon will be in stores in 2025.

 

"This is the first large-scale investment in salmon farming in Sweden, and that is reshaping food production in Sweden," said Katarina Klingspor, chairman of RE:OCEAN. "We're delighted that we'll be able to serve tasty, land-grown salmon from Säffle, Sweden, as early as 2025, and by 2026, we'll be in full production."

 

In 2026, RE:OCEAN's production is expected to correspond to almost 20% of Sweden's total salmon consumption and will be available as a number of different products.

 

"By owning the entire process from hatch to processing and packaging in the same place, we secure access to fresh salmon in Sweden and fundamentally change the way we produce fish," said Morten Malle, chief executive officer of RE:OCEAN. "Our ambition is to create the most sustainable salmon available, in terms of human health and the environment. We want to let the oceans rest, so we're building our own ocean."

 

By using a recycling aquaculture system (RAS), salmon are grown in 88 tanks where water is circulated, purified and reused in its own closed cycle. This reduces water use and increases control throughout the system compared to other technologies. The facility produces no emissions, and the aim is to use all waste from the salmon for other applications, such as biogas.

 

"We want to contribute to a sustainable and circular food production in Sweden," said Klas Balkow, CEO of Axfood. "This is a very important initiative to strengthen sustainable fish farming and to offer our customers a larger selection of affordable, good and sustainable fish in our stores looking forward."

 

"ICA has been investing in sustainable and Swedish food production for a long time, and RE:OCEAN is a very timely investment and a step in the right direction for strengthened Swedish self-sufficiency," said Anders Svensson, CEO of ICA Sweden.

 

RE:OCEAN is now in the process of raising additional capital required to complete the project, as it seeks to realise its goal of providing for 20% of Swedish salmon consumption.

 

All permits, such as planning permission and environmental permits, are in place while the site is prepared for construction.

 

"It is important that we ensure the availability of fish for our consumers. We believe in this more sustainable way of breeding salmon," said Marie Nygren, CEO of Coop Sweden.

 

- RE: OCEAN