US-based lab-grown seafood maker BlueNalu has expanded its strategic partnership with NomadFoods to bring its products to market in the UK and Europe.
The two companies have been working together since 2021 to explore opportunities for bringing cell-cultivated seafood to selected markets in those regions.
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“What began as a strategic exploration into the future of cell-cultivated seafood in Europe has now grown into a deeper partnership aimed at commercializing these products,” Lou Cooperhouse, founder, president and CEO of BlueNalu said in a statement.
“The expanded agreement reflects the strong alignment between our companies and builds on the success of our early joint efforts in market research, regulatory strategy, and consumer insights.”
Nomad Foods and BlueNalu are now focusing on market-entry strategies in the UK, starting with “premium foodservice and limited-time offerings that align with consumer demand for high-quality seafood options”.
BlueNalu was one of eight businesses accepted into the UK’s Food Standard Agency FSA regulatory ‘sandbox’ program, a research project that aims to achieve new regulatory permissions in the cultivated meat sector of the UK.
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By GlobalDataThe program enables selected businesses to work collaboratively with the FSA to navigate the regulatory process for novel foods and ensure the highest food safety and transparency standards. BlueNalu said it is the only US-based company admitted to the UK program to date, and the only one focused primarily on cell-cultivated seafood.
Commenting on the expanded partnership, Cooperhouse added: “As part of this next phase, we’re working together to develop a go-to-market roadmap in the UK and broader European region – focusing on key areas such as product development, regulatory advancement, and strategic market entry. “
“Nomad Foods brings unparalleled regional expertise and market reach, and we’re proud to continue this partnership as we advance toward bringing healthy, responsibly produced seafood to consumers across Europe.”
The news comes as new research sponsored by BlueNalu revealed there was a “health-driven demand for cell-cultivated seafood”.
The sponsored study showed a “strong enthusiasm among UK sushi consumers for cell-cultivated bluefin tuna toro”. A survey of 2,000 regular sushi consumers in 2024 found 92% of respondents said they were interested in trying the product, with “top perceived benefits” including “potential absence of parasites, pesticides, microplastics, mercury and antibiotics, followed by high omega-3 content”.
BlueNalu also supported a recent third-party academic study that concluded that “cell-cultivated” and “cell-cultured” were “appropriate” labeling terms, meeting essential regulatory and consumer acceptance criteria..
Set up in 2018 in San Diego, California, BlueNalu develops cell-based seafood products directly from fish cells.
