Lerøy Seafood Group has, in collaboration with Cargill’s EWOS, decided to introduce chicken byproducts as an ingredient in fish feed. This measure contributes to a lower environmental impact for Norwegian salmon and reduces the carbon footprint of the feed Lerøy uses by up to 16%.
“To achieve our ambitious goal of a 46% reduction in climate emissions by 2030, we must intensify our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from feed. We are proud to be early adopters of this large-scale initiative in Norway, and we believe that we must act now to meet the challenges of the future. Through collaboration and innovation, we can find new solutions for a more sustainable seafood industry,” said Anne Hilde Midttveit, head of ESG and quality at Lerøy Seafood Group.
“In Norwegian aquaculture, several companies have already started looking at chicken meal with good results, and we will now contribute to making this an important ingredient in the future,” the company said.
The company stated that among the reasons for the choice are the reduction of up to 600,000 tons of CO2 by 2030 for the whole industry; circular economy in practice; nutritional benefits since chicken byproducts are rich in protein and fat; and a reduced dependence on soy.
“Lerøy and EWOS are showing their determination with this initiative. Investing in the upscaling and industrialization of byproducts in fish feed is a significant step. This shows how responsible resource utilization can contribute to more sustainable production of seafood,” said Joakim Hauge, international head of science and strategy at the environmental foundation Bellona.
EWOS has extensive experience in using chicken byproducts internationally and is now working to introduce similar solutions in Norway. The raw materials have been carefully tested and have shown good results for both fish health and product quality.
“This is not only a milestone for Lerøy, but also an important contribution to the seafood industry. Salmon is already among the world's most environmentally friendly protein sources, and with this initiative, Lerøy takes a step closer to its goal of creating the world's most efficient and sustainable seafood value chain,” says Midttveit.
The company is now in the final phase of product testing and supplier screening. According to the plan, the start of production of feed with chicken meal will begin in the spring of 2025, with a gradual scale-up in a controlled process to ensure that all requirements for quality, sustainability and fish health are met.
“We are pleased to be able to do this project together with Lerøy, one of our most ambitious customers when it comes to sustainability initiatives. Chicken meal increases the supply of good and nutritious feed ingredients that are well suited to fish. We look forward to working closely with our customers and other industry players to ensure that we together exploit the opportunities that are now opening up for our industry,” said Lise Andreasen, sales director at Cargill.
