Sustainable Blue is building up to expand into North America

After an equipment failure in November 2023 destroyed 100,000 Atlantic salmon ready for market, worth USD 5 million, causing it to enter receivership, Canadian land-based salmon producer Sustainable Blue appears to have put its difficult times behind it as it is building up to expand into North America.

Thus, the zero-discharge RAS salmon producer based in Burlington, Nova Scotia, has announced two major developments advancing what it calls its "mission to reshape the future of sustainable seafood," which will also help it conquer the North American market beyond Canada's borders.

Monterey Bay Aquarium's 'Best Choice' green rating

The first of these developments is that Sustainable Blue's land-based Atlantic salmon has been awarded the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch 'Best Choice' green rating, its highest sustainability designation.

The non-profit organization is known for its Seafood Watch program, a sustainable seafood advisory list, which helps consumers, chefs, and industry professionals in the U.S. market make purchasing decisions based on scientific recommendations.

As mentioned above, the 'Best Choice' is Monterey Bay Aquarium's highest rating, the "buy first" option. Green-rated indicates that these are well-managed seafood products, caught or farmed in an environmentally responsible manner and pose a low environmental risk.

Therefore, as Sustainable Blue highlighted in a release, this recognition places it among a select group of seafood producers globally that meet the most rigorous standards for environmental responsibility, animal welfare, and ecosystem protection.

"Receiving a Best Choice rating from Monterey Bay Aquarium is a powerful validation of the system we've spent years refining. It reflects both how and why we farm this way," said Kirk Havercroft, CEO of Sustainable Blue.

Unlike conventional ocean-based farms, Sustainable Blue operates a fully closed-loop, zero-discharge system with no antibiotics, pesticides, hormones, escapes, or sea-lice exposure, all of which, as the company noted, are key factors behind the Monterey Bay Aquarium's top-tier rating.

"The momentum we're seeing, across demand, partnerships, and market recognition, shows that consumers and industry leaders are ready for a truly sustainable alternative," Sustainable Blue CEO added.

Erik Nobbe, new Head of Business Development for North America

But the 'Best Choice' green rating is not only a validation of the Sustainable Blue system, but also a major commercial endorsement in the U.S. market, making it an important tool at the disposal of the company's new signing.

In addition to the previous milestone, the second development announced by the Canadian land-based salmon producer was the appointment of Erik Nobbe, a veteran seafood executive, as Head of Business Development for North America.

"Erik brings tremendous industry experience and a strong understanding of what today's consumers and culinary leaders are looking for," Havercroft commented on the company's new hire. "His leadership will be instrumental as we scale our brand across North America."

Sustainable Blue salmon is currently available in Sobeys stores nationwide in Canada and is served in leading restaurants across the country. Nobbe will be responsible for leading market expansion, deepening relationships with food service and retail accounts, and strengthening Sustainable Blue's presence in Canada and the United States.

With this commercial move, Sustainable Blue is reviving its ambitions for expansion in North America, which were put on hold when the company entered into receivership, but have always been in the mind of its CEO, who, following the equipment failure two years ago, stated: "We believe that land-based salmon aquaculture will be important not just to Nova Scotia, but to the whole of North America."

Previously, at the operational level, Sustainable Blue had already demonstrated its intentions to expand into the U.S, reaching an agreement with Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hillary Franz to explore land-based salmon farming in Washington as an alternative to net-pen aquaculture, with a "letter of intent" signed in April 2023.