The firms have formed Premier Offshore VOF, in the Netherlands, this month and will launch the first of its new products for retail and food service in early October. The new venture offers a new vision for rope grown, pre-cooked mussels, which require just a few minutes to produce a restaurant-quality meal. Developed by top Dutch chef Asher Bachrach, the initial range includes Thai, French and Belgian versions.
Mussel cultivation is widely recognised as being one of the most sustainable forms of , and the two companies are fully committed to meeting the needs of the environmentally conscious consumer without compromise.
Offshore Shellfish is the first fully offshore rope-grown mussel farm in the UK and the largest in European waters. It practices regenerative aquaculture and has impressive sustainability credentials, including Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and Soil Association Organic certifications.
John Holmyard, Offshore Shellfish founder and managing director, said: “It is very exciting to be working with such a prestigious and established company as Krijn Verwijs. Our aims and objectives on ‘green’, ‘blue’ marine development match each other well. The new collaboration will be of great benefit to both businesses and will make our mussels available to consumers across Europe and further afield.”
His company has undertaken years of research into the effects of building a large-scale mussel farm on a previously degraded area.
“It is rewarding to see that our mussel farm has created a habitat that has resulted in an increase in biodiversity and productivity of the area. Our mussel lines and the surrounding seabed provide a wide range of ecosystem services, including food, shelter, nursery areas and protection for many marine species, from shrimp to lobsters, seaweed to sea urchins. Growing mussels is also an effective way to permanently remove carbon from the atmosphere, as it becomes locked up in their shells,” he said.
Green energy commitment
Krijn Verwijs is a family company which produces and processes a variety of shellfish under the Premier quality mark. In 2021, it made the switch to 100 percent green energy and is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2025.
Bram Verwijs, director of Krijn Verwijs, said: “We are delighted to enter a partnership with Offshore Shellfish to bring healthy, sustainable new products to consumers in Europe. As a company, we work hard to ensure that the bounty of the sea can be enjoyed by everyone, now and in the future.”
Caroline Verwijs, director of Krijn Verwijs, said: “We are sure that both new and existing customers will find our new ‘no hassle’, easy to prepare and eat mussel range an exciting way to enjoy our shellfish with ease and confidence.”
