Cooke Chile can now export 100% organic Atlantic salmon certified to EU and UK organic production standards.
Photo: Cooke Chile.
A month after marking a milestone in the Chilean salmon industry by producing the country's first 100% organic Atlantic salmon certified according to the organic production standards of the European Union and its equivalents in the United Kingdom, Cooke Chile unveiled its brand: Shima.
"This milestone in salmon farming in Chile is the result of great innovation and strong dedication to providing a sustainable food source. This is a true company-wide vision and was made possible through collaborative efforts and support along the way," said Andrés Parodi, Cooke Aquaculture Chile's Regional General Manager for Latin America.
At last month's launch, Parodi claimed that this first organic salmon harvest in Chile was the result of four years of work and tens of millions of dollars of investment in the Cupquelan fjord, located in the Aysén Region in the south of the country. The Chilean subsidiary of the Canadian aquaculture company Cooke said then that the idea is to maintain this organic production over time and increase it according to the demand generated.
In this first stage, the marine aquaculture production certified as organic according to the European Union and equivalent regulations in the United Kingdom - and therefore marketed under the Shima brand -will be equivalent to 25% of Cooke Chile's total salmon production. Thanks to the certification, Shima can use the EU logo of the white leaf on a green background to export to the EU and UK markets.
Companies that hold this certification on the organic origin of their products must meet strict conditions related to all stages of production, processing, transport and storage. To achieve this, Cooke Chile had to successfully implement changes throughout its production chain to apply new technologies and the use of modern farming processes, specifically with regard to stocking density and feeding.
In fact, organic feed is not yet available in Chile, so the company supplies feed from its affiliated factory in Scotland to assist in organic production. The stocking density inside the sea cages has also been adjusted to the new organic farming structure, which requires 99% water and only 1% salmon.
Before that, in order to start the organic farming process, Cooke Chile had to empty, clean, and disinfect its facilities since organic salmon cannot be produced in areas previously used for traditional farming. Thus, the hatcheries went through a period of 6 months of sanitization and productive rest, while the sea sites went through a period of 3 months.
In connection with the unveiling of the Shima brand, Glenn Cooke, CEO of Cooke Inc. highlighted the company's major investment in Atlantic salmon farming programs, fish feed production, fish health treatment technologies, and innovative marine aquaculture equipment.
He also had words of appreciation for the Chilean team. "Our team in Chile has driven this project forward with passion, commitment, and respect for the environment. We are proud of this achievement and give credit to the hard work of our people, who have dedicated years to achieve it," he said.
Cooke currently offers certified organic salmon from Scotland, as well as certified organic shrimp from Seajoy in Central America. The company also raises salmon in several locations without the use of antibiotics and has third-party certifications across all operations. Cooke Chile's Shima will now also be added to this offering.
