Earlier this year Royal Greenland took over the majority of the shares in Nordic Marine Nutrition as part of the increased focus on the utilisation of side streams and by-products from cod and shrimp in particular, and as part of the company’s pilot project within seaweed cultivation.
At the beginning of 2020, Royal Greenland entered into a collaboration with Nordisk Tang with a view to developing skills within the seaweed sector. Nordic Marine Nutrition was previously owned by Nordisk Tang, with Kristian Ottesen at the helm. Now Nordic Marine Nutrition will not only contribute its seaweed expertise, but also its extensive experience and skills in side streams and by-products.
Royal Greenland’s increased focus on side streams is a natural extension of a circular way of thinking, in which continuous work is done into the entire value chain for seafood.
‘Nordic Marine Nutrition has a great deal of knowledge within side streams – in which they have especially worked on a number of projects, such as with animal feed. We expect that these skills can lift our own work with side streams to the next level and ultimately create increased value. Side streams are a challenge where Royal Greenland has untapped potential, which we want to strengthen efforts and earnings on,’ explained group purchasing manager Thomas Meiner Jensen.
‘The work with side streams will initially focus on shrimp shell, but later also off-cuts from cod and cod skin. The fishing industry has generally not been a leader in the field and Greenland represents a challenge logistically. Therefore, in the start-up phase, there will also be a great focus on getting to know the different production sites, so that a reasonable volume and a good flow for production can be built up.’
‘Initially, we need to work on establishing the process for side streams and identify the opportunities that can provide value for the organisation,’ Nordic Marine Nutrition director Kristian Ottesen said. ‘Shrimp shells are a good place to start, as it is a well-known product in the industry, which, especially in Asia, represents a value – including as an ingredient in flavourings.’
Nordic Marine Nutrition is expected to strengthen Royal Greenland’s competences within seaweed, both as part of the cultivation itself, but also in the final link of the value chain – where it is about developing an attractive product range.
‘Seaweed is a new and important business area for us, and it fits well into our vision in every way. Up until now, we have invested a large amount in infrastructure and equipment for seaweed cultivation in Greenland. Until the summer of 2024, we are still in a pilot phase, and here it is essential to strengthen our skills as best as possible,’ Thomas Meiner Jensen said.
Nordic Marine Nutrition will deal with the continued development of seaweed products, including market and technology development. But due to the company’s experience in the industry and Royal Greenland’s ambitions for growth and volume, a large part of the work will also be about cultivation and scaling up.
‘What we offer in seaweed is to work with flavours, the various bio-components and end products for consumers,’ Kristian Ottesen said. ‘But we have ambitions to grow large volumes.’
