New land-based trout project in Denmark awards RAS suppliers

Onnest, a new land-based trout project in Denmark, announced yesterday that, after nearly ten months of intensive evaluation, it has completed its search for "the most advanced aquaculture system solutions on the market," and has already awarded contracts to its Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) suppliers.

The Danish company said the process has included screenings, meetings, and site visits across Europe, "resulting in valuable partnerships, new insights, and a deeper understanding of technological options within land-based aquaculture."

Based on this extensive process, the companies that Onnest has finally chosen as partners for its land-based project in Hirtshals - a town in the municipality of Hjørring in the North Jutland region, Denmark - are the Norwegian company Optiras for the grow-out phase, and the Danish company Assentoft Aqua for the hatchery and juvenile stages.

The premium trout producer said that these partnerships mark a significant milestone in its ambition to establish a state-of-the-art, sustainable aquaculture facility that combines innovation, efficiency, and environmental responsibility.

Proving sustainable aquaculture as possible and profitable

Onnest began its journey toward sustainable, high-quality trout production in August 2024. Determined to make a difference, "one trout at a time," the company has since been taking steps toward achieving its goal, which arose from the desire to prove that sustainable fish farming is not only possible but also profitable.

"With the technology of tomorrow and a dedication to circularity, we're turning the tide on land," the company states on its LinkedIn page. Onnest's vision throughout the project is to leave a minimal physical footprint and impact, while maintaining a strong local presence with a global perspective.

Thus, the first major contract awarded by the trout producer was in January of this year, with the consortium that will be responsible for the interior and exterior design of the Onnest facility, including materials use and contributing to the production flow and working environment.

Led by Hjørring-based architects Hovaldt, a studio in North Jutland with in-depth local knowledge of the area where the new facility will be located, its partners are design studio Lendager, which has a particularly strong focus on circular construction, and landscape design studio Schønherr, specializing in innovative planning, biodiversity, and sustainable design solutions.

A few months after announcing that first contract, the trout company announced that it had secured a permanent location for its project. Onnest's "home" will be located, as said, in the town of Hirtshals, in the area next to Egebakken and Hirtshals Transport Center.

The company entered into a purchase agreement with Hjørring municipality for approximately 85,000 m2 of land regulated for aquaculture, a property well placed, which can accommodate both its short-term development work and long-term expansion plans.

A flagship project for the company's growth

As with its construction partners, in announcing this new key partnership for the project, Onnest said that both Optiras and Assentoft Aqua also share its vision. In this case, it is the commitment to setting new standards for land-based aquaculture through the implementation of cutting-edge RAS, featuring energy- and water-efficient processes and exceptionally low mortality rates.

"Selecting the right partners has been one of the most important steps for Onnest. With Optiras and Assentoft Aqua, we have found suppliers who share our long-term vision of sustainable, land-based aquaculture driven by technology and respect for nature," said Samuel Muren, CEO of Onnest.

"As a RAS-innovator, Optiras AS is proud to be selected as a system supplier to a market innovator like Onnest. Land-based fish farming on nature's own terms is our common goal, and we look forward to carrying out our part of the job," said, for his part, Asle Lygre, CEO of Optiras.

Assentoft Aqua, meanwhile, expressed its enthusiasm for the announcement in a statement on LinkedIn. "A big thank you to the Onnest ApS team for their trust and collaboration. We look forward to working together to bring this ambitious project to life!" it wrote.

A proud member of the Danish Ocean Cluster, Onnest stated that its new facility in Hirtshals—where the Cluster is also located—will serve as a flagship project for the company's growth in the Nordic region.

"It will not only support local development and job creation but also contribute to strengthening Denmark's position as a leader in sustainable seafood production," the new land-based trout producer stated.