Spotlight project
Sustainable shrimp
Increasingly, supermarkets across Europe are sourcing sustainable fish and shrimp from Ecuador to meet the growing global demand for seafood. Veramaris’ algal oil not only alleviates farmers’ dependency on marine ingredients in feed, but it is also ASC-MSC certified, allowing shrimp importers and supermarkets to meet sustainability criteria.
This growing demand provided the perfect opportunity for a value-chain partnership. Sustainable feed suppliers Veramaris and Protix joined forces with the Dutch shrimp importer Klaas Puul, and Skretting, the largest shrimp feed manufacturer in Ecuador to supply European supermarkets with more sustainable shrimp.
In addition, Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands and part of global retailer Ahold Delhaize, has become the first retailer to commit to this project. Since doing so, they have highlighted algal oil as an important part of their new sustainable fish policy.
In 2023, the Ecuadorian shrimp farmer, and partner in the project, Cofimar, grew the first shrimp according to Albert Heijn’s new specifications. Albert Heijn intends to launch this new range of sustainable shrimp in supermarkets across the Netherlands, in early 2024.
Over the next three years, the value chain partners will work to further reduce their dependency on marine ingredients and improve their shrimp feed formulation, in line with both shrimp nutrition guidelines and their own sustainability commitments. Their aim is to expand this project and recruit additional retailers, with the common goal of improving the shrimp supply chain and increasing access to healthier, more sustainable shrimp.
Get the inside story from the project leader
“Value chain partnerships like the one we have with Veramaris, Skretting, Klaas Puul and Protix are important for so many reasons.
They don’t just work towards a sustainable solution for the aquaculture industry.
They also bring healthier, more sustainable products to the supermarket shelves, so consumers benefit as well.”
