A 42,500-square-foot vegan seafood production facility recently opened in Heath, Ohio! The new facility, which already has 52 employees, can produce $100 million worth of plant-based protein each year.
Vegan company Gathered Foods—the parent company of Good Catch Foods—raised $10 million last year to fund the Ohio facility, which will exclusively make Good Catch Foods’ products. Gathered Foods CEO Christine Mei stated:
We are incredibly proud to establish a strong manufacturing footprint in the US as we grow our product portfolio. With Good Catch’s rapid expansion and the launch of our new line of frozen plant-based entrées and appetizers, having our own production facility enables us to optimize productivity and efficiency. We are fully committed to delivering high-quality, plant-based seafood products which delight and satisfy our consumers each and every time.
This summer, Gathered Foods raised another $36.8 million, thanks in part to celebrity investors like Paris Hilton, Lance Bass, and Woody Harrelson. Gathered Foods also partnered with seafood company Bumble Bee Foods, marking the first time a large seafood brand has partnered with a vegan company. Bumble Bee president and CEO Jan Tharp said:
This partnership is a win for Bumble Bee, Good Catch, consumers, and the health of our oceans. It is critically important that as an industry, we continue to find innovative solutions to decouple growth with environmental impact. Providing great-tasting alternative ways for consumers to enjoy ocean-inspired foods is a key pillar of our long-term commitment to ocean health.
Innovative plant-based seafood is taking the world by storm, with new companies and products arriving on the market all the time. Kuleana—a San Francisco-based startup—recently announced its revolutionary sushi-grade raw tuna made with iron, algae oil, and proteins. The company’s mission statement says, “We provide next-generation seafood without the environmental and ethical consequences, so you’re off the hook.”
Another exciting development is happening at the University of Denmark, where students from the EU-led research project Training4CRM have developed a way to make meat from salmon, tuna, and other fish using 3-D printers. The students plan on marketing their plant-based fish to sushi restaurants by 2022.
Fish are just as deserving of respect and kindness as land animals, yet they are excluded from most animal protection laws in the United States. Luckily, it’s easier than ever to swap out fish for delicious plant-based alternatives. Download our FREE Vegetarian Starter Guide to begin adding more vegan foods to your routine!