"We are convinced that collaborative work is the best way to identify opportunities that benefit the entire sector," said SSP Director Pamela Nath.
Photo: Sustainable Shrimp Partnership.
Aker QRILL Company—Aker BioMarine's spin off dedicated to ingredients—is a new Associate Member of the Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP), the Ecuadorian initiative that promotes responsible, sustainable, and competitive shrimp farming, raising the bar in the industry for eight years.
The Norway-headquartered company has joined together with the technology company EDISA, and the Ecuadorian firm specializing in flexible packaging solutions MILANPLASTIC.
SSP highlighted that the addition of these three new Associate Members expands the organization's pre-competitive collaborative ecosystem, in which producers and companies across the shrimp value chain join forces to promote more sustainable and responsible production practices.
"We are pleased to welcome Aker QRILL Company, EDISA, and MILANPLASTIC to SSP. The incorporation of new Associate Members allows us to bring together additional capabilities, experience, and new perspectives to continue driving the continuous improvement of the shrimp industry," said Pamela Nath, Director of SSP.
"We are convinced that collaborative work is the best way to identify opportunities that benefit the entire sector," she emphasized.
These new Associate Members join other well-known firms such as Adisseo, Banco Guayaquil, BASF, BioMar, Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health, Corbion, dsm-firmenich, INVE Aquaculture, Skretting, and Vitapro. The initiative is further strengthened by its Founding Members—Champmar, Corporación LANEC, Omarsa, Promarisco, and Songa—as well as Agrosuncorp, its Collaborating Member.
A leading developer of innovative nutritional ingredients derived from Antarctic krill, Aker QRILL Company manufactures krill meal and oil for aquaculture nutrition backed by science and focused on improving production performance, animal health, and farming system efficiency.
"We are very pleased to become part of this organization. Although we have collaborated on several initiatives in the past and have closely followed the important work SSP has carried out to strengthen Ecuador's shrimp industry, we are excited to officially join this initiative," said Webjørn Barstad, CEO of Aker QRILL Company.
EDISA, for its part, is a technology company specializing in digital management and traceability solutions with more than 40 years of experience. Founded in Galicia, Spain, it now operates across Europe, Latin America, and Africa, with a strong specialization in the food industry and, in particular, in the aquaculture and shrimp sectors, covering the entire value chain.
"For EDISA, joining SSP as an Associate Member reflects our commitment to the digital transformation of the shrimp industry and to the development of solutions that strengthen its sustainability. Becoming part of this alliance gives us the opportunity to contribute our expertise in digital traceability while continuing to promote tools that foster transparency, trust, and value creation throughout the entire value chain," highlighted Esteban Gallegos, Business Development Officer at EDISA Ecuador.
The third new Associate Member is MILANPLASTIC S.A., an Ecuadorian company specializing in the development of high-performance flexible packaging solutions for a wide variety of industries, including food, pharmaceutical and agro-industrial, with a strategic focus on the aquaculture value chain and, especially, the shrimp sector.
"Being part of SSP represents a strategic opportunity for MILANPLASTIC to actively contribute to the sustainable evolution of the shrimp industry. We are proud to join an initiative that promotes transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement as the cornerstones of the value chain," said Jose Baum, General Manager of MILANPLASTIC S.A.
"Drawing on our expertise in flexible packaging, we develop solutions that promote resource efficiency, recyclability, and the circular economy. We firmly believe that collaboration between industry and suppliers is essential to generating a positive impact, strengthening the sector's competitiveness, and meeting the demands of international markets," he added, echoing the idea previously expressed by SSP Director Pamela Nath.
