BlueNalu, a global leader in the development of cell-cultured seafood, signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Nutreco, a leader in animal nutrition and aquafeed. The agreement represents a shared interest in establishing and scaling up a food-grade supply chain for cell-cultured seafood manufacturing based on earlier collaborations.
This Letter of Intent (LOI) marks the latest stage in the partnership between Nutreco and BlueNalu that began back in December 2019. Nutreco will be partnering with BlueNalu to help reduce the cost of cell feed, as well as developing criteria and measurements for certain materials necessary for producing BlueNalu's proprietary cellular seafoods. This includes making sure that all specifications adhere to food-grade regulatory standards for any nations where BlueNalu plans to sell their products. The LOI also kicks off the start of Nutreco's food-grade supply chain support during BlueNalu's production stages - from pilot development to its commercialization activities.
This agreement complements BlueNalu's prior announcement regarding its large-scale commercialization plans and its business differentiation with whole muscle product forms, non-GMO, single cell suspensions, and proprietary lipid-loading technology that allows continuous production.
Lauran Madden, Ph.D., BlueNalu’s Chief Technology Officer, emphasized their successes in technology that have further progressed their progress and commercial prospects. With the creation of this partnership with Nutreco, they are able to become technologically prepared with the capability to develop and introduce products on a larger scale. Susanne Wiegel, Ph.D., the Head of Alternative Proteins at Nutreco, expressed her enthusiasm for working with BlueNalu in the future while providing Nutreco's expertise as a leader in nutritional solutions to advance cell-based agriculture.
Its first product will be the high value toro portion of bluefin tuna, which is in high demand from the foodservice sector but is increasingly inaccessible and associated with considerable sustainability challenges. BlueNalu intends to bring a portfolio of seafood products to global markets.