French retailer begins sales of algal oil-fed salmon
The French retailer Supermarché Match has begun selling salmon fed with natural marine algal oil produced by Veramaris.
Match sources the fish from Norwegian farmer Lingalaks, which has been feeding a sustainable salmon diet developed and manufactured by feed producer Skretting since October last year.
The feed formulation includes omega-3 EPA & DHA algal oil from Veramaris as an alternative to fish oil from wild-caught fish.
‘Rich in omega-3’
“At Supermarché Match, we are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to fresh and healthy food. The salmon we are now able to offer to our customers is rich in omega-3 EPA & DHA from natural marine algae. This is our contribution to conserving marine resources”, Nicolas Baroux, head of procurement at the retailer, said in a press release.
The salmon is now available in 116 Match stores in the north-east of France.
According to Veramaris market data, 93% of salmon consumers in France say that omega-3 content is somewhat, very and extremely important when purchasing salmon. As a result, omega-3 content is among the top five reasons for consuming salmon.
Differentiating salmon
“Omega-3’s are among the most important nutrients that people need for a healthy life,” said Veramaris chief executive Karim Kurmaly.
“Omega-3 EPA & DHA are at the very core of the salmon brand-promise, making salmon a food choice consumers can count on when it comes to health benefits. This is our contribution to differentiate salmon and support retailers in increasing their fair share index of the salmon category.”
Veramaris oil, produced through large-scale fermentation, is currently the only commercial source of omega-3 fatty acids from algae that is rich in both EPA & DHA.
The company, a joint venture between DSM and Evonik, was shortlisted in two categories at the recent Aquaculture Awards in Edinburgh.
It has built a $200 million algal oil manufacturing facility in Blair, Nebraska, in the US, which is due to come on stream next month and will meet roughly 15% of the total current annual demand for EPA and DHA by the salmon industry.
Pilot quantities for market development purposes have already been available for the past two years.
