Helsinki, Finland / Tokyo, Japan: Finnforel, a leading aquaculture technology company headquartered in Finland has accepted the investment from Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) to accelerate expansion of land-based fish farming projects globally.
Through this investment from MC, Finnforel will develop their farming of rainbow trout, which is a suitable cold-water fish species for Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). These systems employ advanced biofiltration to allow control of all essential environmental factors and ensure stable, safe and clean indoor conditions, while efficiently recirculating and reusing water within a closed system, ensuring zero biowaste and minimum wastewater. The usage of recirculating aquaculture systems facilitates year-round fish production, irrespective of environmental conditions.
Finnforel’s Gigafactory concept is covering also processing and packaging of consumer fish products onsite. Finnforel’s solution allows to minimize the number of parties involved in the logistic chain and cut transportation time. This will naturally guarantee ultimate freshness of fish products delivered to consumers. It also lowers the cost. The concept also supports local food systems and reduces the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transport.
Founded in 2015, Finnforel is an innovative aquaculture technology company that currently operates recirculating aquaculture systems facilities in Finland with a total production volume of three thousand tons per year. Through a high degree of vertical integration from hatchery to farming and packaging, Finnforel achieves significant efficiency and scale, demonstrated in its ambition to multiply its capacity through global expansion by 2032.
Pekka A. Viljakainen, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Finnforel Group, said: “Finnforel’s mission is to save the seas and feed the planet. This huge mission requires strategic partners and shareholders, with whom we can deploy our technological and operational knowledge to all continents. I believe that in future Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) play a crucial role in enhancing food security by enabling efficient, sustainable, and reliable production of fish where excess nutrients and waste will not end up in the seas. That is why we developed our Finnforel Gigafactory with 0% waste policy, to be implemented where the consumers are. We are very proud to have Mitsubishi, with its global distribution channels, talent and resources to support our Finnforel’s journey.”
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), aquatic foods constitute 15 percent of the world’s animal protein intake. Global apparent consumption of aquatic foods per capita amounted to 20.6 kilograms in 2021, having more than doubled over the past 60 years. FAO projects that consumption will increase by a further 12 percent by 2032. In 2022 and for the first time in history, global aquaculture surpassed capture fisheries as the main producer of aquatic animals, with aquaculture production reaching an unprecedented 94.4 million tons. Simultaneously, consumer groups and environmental agencies around the world have raised the importance of changing the current fish farming and fishing methods towards fully sustainable, 0% waste/environmental emission concepts.
Akihiko Soga, DIVISION COO, MARINE PRODUCTS DIVISION of MC said: “We are pleased to join Finnforel’s journey through this investment. We deeply empathize with Finnforel’s vision to develop sustainable protein supply through their gigafactory concept, in which they handle feed manufacturing, farming, processing and product branding integrally. MC will continue to strengthen our farming business and contribute to sustainable supply of food resources and addressing societal needs.“
About Mitsubishi Corporation
Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) is a global integrated business enterprise that develops and operates businesses together with its global network of around 1,300 group companies. MC has eight Business Groups that operate across virtually every industry: Environmental Energy, Materials Solution, Mineral Resources, Urban Development & Infrastructure, Mobility, Food Industry, Smart-Life Creation and Power Solution. Through these eight Business Groups, MC’s current activities have expanded far beyond its traditional trading operations to include project development, production and manufacturing operations, working in collaboration with our trusted partners around the globe.
With an unwavering commitment to conducting business with integrity and fairness, MC remains fully dedicated to growing its businesses while contributing to a prosperous society.
About Finnforel
Finnforel, headquartered in Finland, is an innovative agritech company at the forefront of sustainable aquaculture. The company has pioneered a comprehensive concept which encompasses the entire value chain—from advanced selective breeding programs to its feed, farming, processing, packaging and branding of its fish products. Collaborating closely with both local and global partners, Finnforel is dedicated to revolutionizing the fish farming industry. The company’s ambitious goal is to shift towards a model that achieves zero emissions, eliminates waste, and maximizes the circularity of essential resources such as water, energy, and nutrients. This approach underscores Finnforel’s commitment to sustainable, antibiotic- and microplastic-free fish and its leadership in eco-friendly aquaculture practices.
