Leading the Blue Revolution
Interview with Bertil Buysse, Managing Director Western Europe & UK
Salmon is becoming increasingly popular as a healthy and delicious source of protein among consumers across the world. Mowi, headquartered in Bergen, Norway, has been active in salmon farming for more than six decades and currently provides approximately eight million salmon meals a day. Managing Director Western Europe & UK Bertil Buysse spoke to European Business about current market trends and Mowi’s vision for the future.
European Business: Mowi provides its global customer base with more than eight million seafood meals every day. What are the most significant changes you are currently observing in the market?
Bertil Buysse: Overall, consumers are far better informed today and show a markedly higher level of interest in what they eat than in the past. Health, nutrition and transparency have become key criteria. As a seafood producer, we are well positioned to address these expectations by offering high quality proteins with naturally high levels of omega 3 fatty acids. At the same time, consumption patterns are constantly evolving. Salmon is increasingly eaten in its natural form – for example unsmoked, untreated or as sashimi – and is gaining relevance in ready-to-eat and food-to-go formats. This trend is closely linked to declining meal preparation times in private households, a development that is reflected in our product portfolio and innovation agenda.
European Business: Mowi operates on a global scale. To what extent do consumer preferences and product requirements differ across regions?
Bertil Buysse: While Western Europe remains one of the most mature markets, it continues to offer considerable growth potential. Consumers are becoming increasingly focused on sustainability and health, with younger generations in particular paying close attention to protein intake and overall wellbeing. In the United States, we are seeing a pronounced shift from frozen to fresh seafood products, driven by more advanced logistics and supply-chain infrastructures. This evolution creates attractive growth opportunities for salmon, which combines health benefits, versatility and year-round availability. We are also witnessing rapid changes in China and other Asian markets. Traditionally, salmon consumption in these regions had been largely out-of-home. Today, however, home consumption is expanding rapidly, with delivery services acting as an important catalyst.
European Business: What do these developments imply for Mowi’s global logistics operations?
Bertil Buysse: Our salmon is farmed in regions that are geographically distant from key Asian markets, including Norway, Ireland and Chile. As a result, air freight remains a critical component of our logistics network. Product formats also vary significantly by market. In many Asian countries, demand is still dominated by whole fillets, which consumers portion at home. In these markets, larger packaging units for retail are typically sufficient. By contrast, in more mature markets such as France, the UK or Spain, demand is concentrated on fixed-weight portions that are often pre-marinated or seasoned and ready for immediate consumption. While it will take time for these formats to become mainstream in Asia, we are operationally prepared for that transition.
European Business: How important is sustainability for Mowi and its customers today?
Bertil Buysse: Sustainability is a core pillar of our strategy, and we have made substantial progress in recent years. Whereas several kilograms of wild fish were once required to produce one kilogram of farmed salmon, salmon farming has now become a net producer of protein. In addition, the feed used in our operations is sourced from sustainable ingredients, and we have implemented comprehensive monitoring systems to detect disease or potential impacts on surrounding ecosystems at an early stage, allowing for immediate corrective action. These efforts are reflected in independent assessments: Mowi is ranked as the world’s most sustainable protein producer by the Coller FAIRR Index, a recognition we are particularly proud of. Equally important to our consumers is our unwavering commitment to transparency: If something goes wrong, for example if a storm destroys some of the nets in our fish farms allowing some of our salmon to escape into the wild, we report on it publicly so that consumers can trust our brand without exception.
European Business: What lies at the heart of the vision currently driving Mowi?
Bertil Buysse: More than 75% of the world’s surface is covered by oceans, but less than 1% is currently used for aquaculture. While salmon farming has existed for decades, the industry has undergone a profound technological transformation in recent years from which we are actively benefiting. Mowi’s ambition is to be at the forefront of this blue revolution. To that end, we work closely with partners such as Google AI to monitor each individual salmon, tracking health indicators, disease risks and feeding behavior in real time. By deploying smart farming technologies, we aim to increase efficiency while simultaneously improving animal welfare across the entire life cycle. Artificial intelligence plays a critical enabling role in this context, but it will not replace human expertise. Veterinarians and aquaculture specialists remain essential to ensuring responsible and sustainable operations.
European Business: How does Mowi ensure it remains agile in the face of rapidly evolving consumer preferences?
Bertil Buysse: Our business model is fully integrated from egg to plate, which allows us to respond quickly and consistently to changes in demand across the entire value chain. In addition, we pursue a dual strategy that combines private-label production with a strong branded portfolio. Our branded products in particular give us direct access to consumer insights and immediate feedback, enabling us to anticipate trends rather than merely react to them. As a result, our private-label and branded activities complement each other seamlessly. Ultimately, what drives us is a clear purpose: to make a healthy, versatile and sustainably produced protein source accessible to consumers around the world.