Salmofood, a brand of Vitapro, in collaboration with Cooke Aquaculture, has developed the innovative diet RAW, a new line of feed for organic salmon that offers natural, organic, sustainable, and safe nutrition for fish.
This pioneering alliance emerged in response to a need expressed by the salmon producer, which was seeking a high-quality, locally sourced feed solution for its organic operations in Chile.
The result: RAW by Salmofood, an organic fish feed inspired by the ancestral roots of salmon farming and driven by the slogan Back to the origin. The formula prioritizes organic plant-based ingredients, sustainably sourced marine materials, and natural additives to produce a world-class product with high productive capacity.
The certification of all raw materials used in its production, along with the accreditation of the Castro processing plant, underscores Salmofood and Cooke Aquaculture’s commitment to responsible and sustainable production.
Francisco Valdés, commercial manager at Vitapro Chile, emphasized that customer needs are at the core of the company's strategy. “The development of this nutritional solution for Cooke Aquaculture’s organic farms is a clear example of our commitment to delivering effective and cutting-edge responses. We are proud to have taken on this challenge and are very satisfied with the results of this collaborative work with an international-level salmon producer that prioritizes sustainability and top performance.”
“For us, this project represented a strategic opportunity to strengthen our long-term relationship with Cooke and offer a unique value to the market. Our Castro plant became the first in Chile certified to produce organic salmon feed, positioning us at the forefront of the industry,” he added.
Eduardo Suazo, key account manager and export lead at Salmofood, explained that RAW was a rewarding process “that allowed us to advance step by step, incorporating certified organic raw materials to meet the demands of a highly regulated market. A key milestone was the certification of our plant by Control Union for organic production, achieved this past February. This success involved adopting a new working model, improving input storage and handling, providing specialized training for our team, and implementing strict protocols that now reinforce our commitment to quality and sustainability.”
“Given that we already held ASC Feed, Global G.A.P., BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices), and RTRS Chain of Custody certifications (Round Table on Responsible Soy), we were well-prepared to face any audit process, which enabled us to execute the project more quickly and efficiently,” he noted.
Since 2024, Cooke Aquaculture has been certified to produce organic salmon in Chile, in accordance with the European Union’s strict standards. This has resulted in a high-quality product that is mainly exported to key markets such as Poland, France, and Germany, as well as the United Arab Emirates.
Eduardo Jara, technical manager at Cooke Aquaculture, pointed out that until a few months ago, feed for these farms depended on imports from the company’s Northeast Nutrition facility in Scotland. He explained that although the collaboration with Salmofood began in October 2024, since early this year, they have been able to feed their organic production with RAW.
“The collaboration we achieved with Salmofood is truly remarkable. We established an interdisciplinary effort where the expertise of both companies came together to achieve a common goal: design the diet, source the raw materials, produce the feed, and certify it for our organic farms in Chile. The process was a constant challenge, but together we overcame the obstacles to deliver the product we envisioned,” the professional emphasized.
He also highlighted the important roles played by experts in quality control, processing, certification, and nutrition from both companies. “It was a challenging process, but our ability to break paradigms and work as a unified team allowed us to successfully complete the project, marking a milestone in our sector in terms of collaboration, strategic vision, and genuine sustainability for the industry in Chile,” he concluded.
