Regal Springs – a further US$14m invested: Enhancing efficiency, Boosting the ‘Blue Food Movement’
Taking full advantage of the boom in aquaculture, Regal Springs, the world’s largest farmer of sustainable tilapia, with farms in Asia and the Americas, is injecting over US$14 million extra capital investment next year. This comes on top of previous capital injections during the last 2 years of over US$20 million, cementing its position as the world-beating producer of sustainable premium tilapia.
The latest US$ 14m boost will upgrade Regal Springs’ farming technologies, including the introduction of advanced fish health programs and leading-edge artificial intelligence [AI] solutions, such as systems from the Regal Springs aquaManager’s strategic alliance, announced in April 2022, all of which have been designed to improve sustainable efficiencies in rearing premium tilapia. This initiative from Regal Springs, as a member of the BLUE FOOD Partnership, shows its commitment to ‘THE BLUE FOOD MOVEMENT’. It further reflects Regal Springs’ founding mission, which is to raise tilapia sustainably in deep-water lakes, thereby contributing precious protein resources to precarious world food supplies, without endangering fish stocks in the world’s over-fished oceans.
Why is the call for BLUE FOODS so urgent? World population is heading for 10 billion by 2050, mostly concentrated in less developed countries lacking food and protein resources, so the search is on for sustainable strategies to meet this surging demand. The United Nations Food Agency has already identified aquaculture as a key component of this strategy. In fact, aquaculture now numbers amongst the world’s fastest growing food segments and is expected to overtake fish caught at sea, by 2030 reaching over 55% share. As a result, fish farming, both ocean- and lake-based, is attracting greater interest from major investors, especially those focused on sustainable solutions.
Regal Springs, as an active and committed member of the Sustainable Aquaculture Working Group of the BLUE FOOD Partnership, was a speaker at the recent BLUE FOOD INNOVATION SUMMIT, held in London in June 2022, that highlighted the explosive boom in so-called ‘impact capital funding’, which in the last 10 years has grown tenfold.
Regal Springs’ CEO Alois Hofbauer adds his thoughts:
“Sustainability has been core to our DNA for over 30 years, since we first set up in Indonesia, farming in
its pristine, deep-water lakes. We are understandably proud of our record in producing the freshest and most succulent tilapia. We provide our consumers with premium tilapia, supported by our highly integrated, fully traceable supply chain. That certainly costs a little more, but we are convinced that when we deliver our high-quality nutritious tilapia, distinguished by its superior taste and texture, our consumers recognise its true value. These continuing investments demonstrate our confidence in the growth potential of our markets and our commitment to the BLUE FOODS MOVEMENT.”
