Food technology company Hailia Nordic has developed an innovation that turns fish filleting sidestreams into a ready-to-use food product with a pleasant taste and mouthfeel.
Photo: Hailia Nordic.
A unique collaboration between food technology company Hailia Nordic, seafood supplier Kalavapriikki and major Finnish retail cooperative S-Group has led to the launch of an equally-unique product, "pulled rainbow trout", which is being stocked at stores across Finland this September.
The product, "Nyhtökirjolohi", is created from rainbow trout filleting sidestreams—such as frames, heads, and fins—utilizing Hailia’s patent-pending technology to transform parts of the fish which are usually discarded in the filleting process, into a nutritious, ready-to-use food item. The product is being launched under S-Group’s "Kotimaista" private label, with the sidestreams supplied by Kalavapriikki.
According to Hailia, the texture closely resembles cooked fish fillet, "making it a versatile ingredient for home kitchens and industrial food producers alike".
The company notes that while the current product uses rainbow trout, the technology could also be used for other fish species. While fish processing companies typically sell their sidestreams for feed or fish oil production, "selling them for use in food products is 10 to 15 times more profitable", Hailia points out.
“We are committed to driving the blue food revolution and redefining seafood industry practices to operate within planetary boundaries while improving profitability. However, no company can do this alone. Through this partnership with S-Group and Kalavapriikki, we can provide a very strong proof of concept for this entire circular concept," said Hailia CEO, Michaela Lindström, in a press release.
"The food produced with Hailia’s patent-pending technology ticks all the boxes required by industrial food producers, including sufficient production capacity to meet the needs of a major retail chain like S-Group,” she added.
Jari Korhonen, CEO of Kalavapriikki, said he hoped the initiative would encourage more Finns to eat domestic seafood: “Fish has disappeared from the dinner tables of many urban people and young families even though research shows that consumers would like to eat more fish."
"We are passionate about answering this challenge, because we want to bring domestic fish back into Finnish people’s everyday diet. This new product allows us to make more food out of the same raw material, which is also good for the climate and environment,” Korhonen said.
“Today’s consumers want good taste and sustainability in the same package. There is strong demand for affordable fish products for everyday use, and Hailia’s innovation allows us to answer that demand even better than before. The pulled rainbow trout is an excellent addition to our own product line, as the product seamlessly combines good taste, domesticity, ease, and affordability,” added S-Group sales manager, Mikko Kovalainen.
Hailia says it aims to forge similar partnerships on a global scale and license its innovative technology to fish processing companies. The company is currently in the process of raising capital through a funding round set to conclude later this year, which looks set to round off a landmark year for the Finnish food tech firm.
In April 2024, Hailia won the World Food Innovation Award for best technology, and the company was listed as one of the 30 most interesting circular economy solutions for nature by the World Circular Economy Forum.