Skretting partners to supply shrimp produced with sustainable feed to European supermarkets

Aquaculture
Sustainability
Article
19 January 2023

Our aquaculture business line, Skretting, is partnering with Netherlands-based shrimp importer Klaas Puul and Dutch sustainable feed ingredient suppliers Protix and Veramaris to supply supermarkets across Europe with more sustainable shrimp produced in Latin America. We’re thrilled that Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands and part of global retailer Ahold Delhaize, is the first retailer to commit to the project. The initiative is a great example of how Nutreco is working across the supply chain to achieve our purpose of Feeding the Future!

“We believe there is great power in working across the value chain to innovate and share the incremental costs of producing more sustainable seafood,”

“This is why, in 2019, we approached Albert Heijn with a concept that would step up the sustainability characteristics of shrimp feed. Simultaneously, Albert Heijn had approached their supplier, Klaas Puul with a similar “ask” and suggested that they contact Nutreco and work together to make a joint proposal. We then brought in novel ingredient heavy hitters Protix and Veramaris and the consortium was born!”
José Villalón, Corporate Sustainability Director

Our aquaculture business line, Skretting, is partnering with Netherlands-based shrimp importer Klaas Puul and Dutch sustainable feed ingredient suppliers Protix and Veramaris to supply supermarkets across Europe with more sustainable shrimp produced in Latin America. We’re thrilled that Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands and part of global retailer Ahold Delhaize, is the first retailer to commit to the project. The initiative is a great example of how Nutreco is working across the supply chain to achieve our purpose of Feeding the Future!

“This could be considered a game changer by itself – but Albert Heijn asked for more!” said José. “The product must provide full traceability from larval hatchery to the store’s shelf and animal welfare issues addressed in the production cycle.”

This feed will be used by Klaas Puul’s suppliers to produce sustainable shrimp for Albert Heijn – and, in the future, possibly other retailers across Europe – in dedicated ponds in Latin America.

Why is this so important? Farmed seafood is becoming an increasingly important source of healthy protein as global demand, and the world’s population, grows. However, one significant constraint on the growth of the farmed seafood industry is its reliance on marine ingredients in aquaculture feed. For sustainable aquaculture supply growth, alternatives to marine ingredients need to be included in feed.

And the market demand is there. European supermarkets are increasingly sourcing shrimp from Latin America and looking for ways that go beyond certification to reduce risk in supply chains and provide more sustainable seafood. Sustainability and transparency is also high on Skretting and Nutreco’s agenda; we are working to ensure our customers have the tools and documentation that will be demanded in the future from their own clients.  

Projects like this will help us do it – and take us further on the road towards our purpose of Feeding the Future. And the only way we’ll get there is through collaboration – and tenacity. “This was a 30-month effort, driven by the persistent will of all the consortium partners to deliver on their visions for the future, now,” said José.

So, what’s next? The partners will continue to improve the sustainability of the feed formulation in the coming three years, drawing on developments in the field of shrimp nutrition, and adjusting to the rapidly changing ingredient market. Over time, the consortium will increase the inclusion rates of insect meal and algae oil and look at other options to further reduce dependency on marine ingredients. It will also guarantee that all shrimp is produced from unablated broodstock and is ASC and BAP or GlobalGAP certified.