Canada’s Ocean Supercluster invests $750k in plant-based whitefish fillet creation project

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster grants $750,000 to the Scaling-up Alternative Seafood Manufacturing Project.  This project will help develop a plant-based whitefish fillet.

Led by Halifax-based Profillet, in partnership with Ardra in Toronto, Mara Renewables in Dartmouth, N.S., and Rondo North America in Moonachie, N.J., the total project is valued at $1.9M. Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is investing $750,000 and the project partners are investing the rest of the money.

Profillet is creating an alt-whitefish fillet using marine-derived ingredients. Ardra is contributing fermentation-derived ingredients to enhance product performance.

In a news release the Supercluster said, “Through Ambition 2035 and together with Canada’s ocean community, we are bold in our ambition to grow Canada’s ocean economy 5X to $220 billion by 2035. Continued investment in the accelerated development and commercialization of globally relevant, made-in-Canada ocean solutions will help us realize this ambition.”

“By bringing together partners from across the country to create Canada’s first plant-based whitefish fillet, Profillet is not only advancing sustainable food systems but also helping to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing our oceans. This is a significant step forward in building a stronger, more resilient ocean economy, that delivers environmental, economic, and global leadership benefits for Canada,” added Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.