© Hailia
Hailia – a Finnish food tech company has announced a cooperation with fish supplier Kalavapriikki and S Group - a retail cooperative which holds a significant market share of Finnish retail to create a new seafood product.
Nyhtökirjolohi, an innovative pulled rainbow trout product, launched under S Group’s Kotimaista private label and made from rainbow trout side streams provided by Kalavapriikki, is set to hit the shelves of over 500 grocery stores and supermarkets in September.
Aiming to reduce waste within the seafood sector, Hailia’s technology takes parts of the fish that are ordinarily discarded in the filleting process, but still nutritious and full of meat, such as heads and fins, and turns them into a tasty food product that is ready to use. The texture of the end product resembles that of cooked fish fillet, making it a versatile ingredient for home kitchens and industrial food producers alike.
Whilst this initial product makes use of rainbow trout sidestreams, the process can also be applied to other fish as well, further reducing potential waste.
“We are committed to driving the blue food revolution and redefining seafood industry practices to operate within planetary boundaries while improving profitability. However, no company can do this alone. Through this partnership with S Group and Kalavapriikki, we can provide a very strong proof of concept for this entire circular concept. The food produced with Hailia’s patent-pending technology ticks all the boxes required by industrial food producers, including sufficient production capacity to meet the needs of a major retail chain like S Group,” said Michaela Lindström, CEO of Hailia, in a press release.
Currently, the by-products of fish processing are mainly sold for feed or fish oil production. However, selling them for use in food products can be up to 15 times more profitable and can provide a significant boost for the international fishing industry. This use of industry by-products could also help to support the growing global demand for seafood.
“Fish has disappeared from the dinner tables of many urban people and young families even though research shows that consumers would like to eat more fish. We are passionate about answering this challenge, because we want to bring domestic fish back into Finnish people’s everyday diet. This new product allows us to make more food out of the same raw material, which is also good for the climate and environment,” said Jari Korhonen, CEO of Kalavapriikki.
Hailia’s ambition is to establish similar partnerships internationally and to licence its unique technology to fish processing companies. The company is currently raising capital in a funding round closing later in late 2024.
