Cellular aquaculture pioneer Blue Nalu and Japan’s largest sushi restaurant operator, FOOD & LIFE COMPANIES (F&LC), have teamed up to come up with a supply-chain solution for bluefin tuna and similar sushi-grade products that the latter will be offering in the Asia-Pacific region.
Both parties have committed to product development, marketing, and support for a regulatory framework for BlueNalu’s commercialisation in Japan.
The solutions development will zero in on bluefin tuna belly, called ‘toro’, as an initial commercial product. Japan consume 80% of the global supply of this product, which commands premium pricing thanks to its delicious flavor and sensory features.
“FOOD & LIFE COMPANIES is a global leader in the sushi restaurant business, and BlueNalu is thrilled to partner with their team to continue the innovative legacy of their iconic brands,” declared BlueNalu President and CEO Lou Cooperhouse.
“Cell-cultured seafood is a supply-chain solution that will have the taste, texture and nutrition that consumers expect, and will not be susceptible to environmental contaminants like mercury and microplastics. By centering our initial efforts on the high-quality toro portion of bluefin tuna, we aim to demonstrate culinary excellence with the most prized portion of the most sought-after fish in the most iconic marketplace for seafood.”
Meanwhile, Koichi Mizutome, President and CEO of FOOD & LIFE COMPANIES said: “With the uncertainty of natural marine resources in the future, it is important that we secure a stable supply of seafood in a more sustainable manner. We have already been promoting the use of farmed seafood as one of the ways to achieve this, but as seafood demand increases in the future, there will be increasing challenges with our global supply chain.
“Therefore, we are eager to incorporate BlueNalu’s cell-cultured seafood as we believe it is one of the most promising methods to help solve these issues. We look forward to the progress of this collaboration, and to the future when BlueNalu products can be used as sustainable, delicious, healthy, and reliable seafood on our menus.”
Especially in Asia, global seafood consumption has reached an all-time high. The United Nations projects that by 2030, some 28 million metric tons of new seafood production will be needed to meet population and consumption growth. Cell-cultured seafood is eyed to be a third production technique to help meet that demand.
