September 7, 2022

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

Thai Union, Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods (a wholly owned subsidiary of Thai Union Group), and leading plant-based seafood brand The ISH Food Company have announced a North American alliance in support of the advancement of a regenerative, nutritious food system. 

As The ISH Food Company continues to gain market presence, it has trademarked a Whole System Approach (™) when developing innovative and healthy plant-based food products, taking into consideration the entire chain of factors from the soil, to the water, and onto the table.

Founded in 2020, The ISH Food Company is a certified B-Corporation with a mission to develop innovative and disruptive plant-based foods worldwide. Currently available in the U.S., the company’s first products were launched in 2022, and are the forefront of a robust pipeline that includes Salmonish™, Codish™, Crabish™, Lobsterish™, Scallopish™, among others.

Recognizing that the plant-based food market is expected to grow by more than 1,000 percent to reach a value of $140 billion over the next decade, this alliance will leverage Thai Union’s and Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods’ marketing and distribution networks as an investment in the sustainable seafood industry and to ensure greater access to alternative seafood options to new markets at comparable price points. 

Thai Union notes that its participation in this partnership aligns with the company’s global SeaChange® commitment, a program including quantitative measures to strengthen sustainability across their business.

“We are excited to expand our reach within the alternative protein space through this alliance with The ISH Food Company,” said Maarten Geraets, managing director for alternative proteins, Thai Union.

“Our corporate venture business arm has been working closely with innovative alternative protein start-ups as we increase our attention and investment in sustainable seafood alternatives,” continued Geraets. “As the #1 distributor of frozen shrimp and pasteurized crab meat in North America, we have expansive expertise in the seafood category that we are eager to leverage in this new market.”

In recent years, sustainability has become a key concern for seafood buyers and consumers. This shift was clearly indicated in a recent survey conducted by Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods and market research consultancy Wakefield Research through which it was found that grocery and foodservice executives and buyers were receiving requests for plant-based (35 percent) and lab-grown (31 percent) seafood alternative products this year.

Established in 2006 in partnership with Thai Union and headquartered in El Segundo, California, Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods rapidly grew from zero to more than $1 billion in sales within 15 years to become the number one importer of shrimp and crab meat in North America, while also being a leader in multiple other seafood categories. 

Likewise, Thai Union has been highly dedicated to the development of its  SeaChange® sustainability strategy since 2016, earning the company top ranking on the Seafood Stewardship Index two years in a row.

Both companies stated that this alliance with The ISH Food Company is “logical next step” and a “natural fit” for both of them, especially considering The ISH Food Company’s environmental-first philosophy.

“As a global entity, Thai Union acknowledges that a diverse range of healthy and nutritious proteins is essential to meeting future population demands in a sustainable manner, whilst increasing food security,” said Geraets.

The ISH Food Company stated that its ultimate goal is to create a food system that restores and is in balance with the needs of the earth.

“We have a big mission, and we can’t do it alone, which makes this collaboration in North America even more important,” said Bernard David, founder and CEO, ISH. “Consumer demand for healthy, nutritious, and sustainable food sources is accelerating as individuals increasingly make the connection between the food they eat and the climate crisis.”

Our plant-based seafood is crafted with environmental impact top of mind, delivering on taste, texture, nutrition, and planetary health. We’re grateful for this partnership with Thai Union and Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods as we work together to help transform food and agriculture into a regenerative, nutritious, and healthy system.”

~ Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor in chief with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, as well as HighQuest Group’s Unconventional Ag. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.

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