Hofseth aims to put seafood transport and waste on Davos agenda

Norwegian seafood group Hofseth International is using this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos later this month to present what it argues is a lower-emission and less wasteful way of producing and distributing salmon.

Throughout the week, Hofseth salmon and trout will be served at a number of private venues and corporate events in Davos, where political and business leaders gather to discuss global economic and environmental challenges. The company says it aims to show how changes in processing and transport can improve sustainability without compromising quality.

One of the main themes of this year’s WEF is how innovation can be scaled responsibly. Hofseth argues that seafood logistics is an area where existing practices – particularly the widespread use of air freight – can be rethought.

As a major salmon processor, Hofseth has focused on freezing fish close to harvest, shipping it by sea in frozen containers, and thawing it near the point of sale using its proprietary "IceFresh" technology. According to the company, replacing air freight with sea transport can reduce transport-related emissions by more than 90%, while also lowering costs and extending shelf life.

“Today, a lot of fish loses both quality and value on its way to the markets, and far too much is thrown away,” said CEO Roger Hofseth, via a press release. “That is neither sustainable nor sensible.”

“It is completely absurd that fish we have spent two years farming sustainably in clean fjords is then flown around the world and in the worst case, a third ends up being thrown away before it reaches the dinner table, because it is too old," added Hofseth's chef and product developer, Mindor Klauset.

The company says freezing fish at peak quality and thawing it only when needed can reduce food waste at retail level, while preserving nutrients and texture better than conventional thawing methods. The group is promoting its proprietary thawing technology as a solution for this, but argues its participation in Davos is also intended to spark broader discussion.

“If we are to succeed on a large scale and contribute to a systemic shift in the seafood sector, sustainability must be a foundation for global seafood trade. At the same time, it is crucial to share knowledge and experiences. It is this dialogue that we want to contribute to in Davos," Hofseth stated.

Hofseth is also using its Davos presence to highlight its approach to raw material utilisation. While traditional salmon processing typically focuses on fillets, which account for roughly half of the fish, the group says it uses the remaining by-products for food, nutrition and health-related ingredients through its bioproducts division Hofseth Biocare, with each batch of ingredients traceable to its Norwegian origin.

“We want to invite open dialogue, and all WEF attendees are welcome to visit us to taste the salmon and HBC’s health products,” Hofseth added.