“Prawns are one of the world’s most loved food products, but our taste for them often creates great environmental damage. By growing it in a controlled environment, with land-based systems free from antibiotics and chemicals, it is possible to provide restaurants, private individuals and grocery stores access to a sustainably produced alternative of the highest taste quality.” The jury’s reasoning.
The prawn has long been classified as a major environmental problem, partly because cultivating it destroys important ecosystems such as mangrove forests, and because of the large amounts of antibiotics used. In its fish guide, WWF only gives the green light for prawns that come from land-based farms in Europe.
Matilda Olstorpe has worked for more than 10 years on developing a method and a business to grow prawns in a more sustainable way. But it started even earlier, when she studied microbiology and conducted a research project at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, in Uppsala. That was the start of her prawn farming and the company Vegafish.
– We had originally intended to start with the cultivation of tilapia, a tropical fish, Olstorpe said in an interview. But the retail trade pushed for environmentally friendly prawns. So we changed direction.
The experimental cultivation started in swimming pools in a warehouse in Uppsala, was later relocated to Bjuv in Skåne to be scaled up, and finally landed in Lysekil where it is located today.
The method used is usually called biofloc. In short, it means using a mixture of different types of microorganisms such as algae, bacteria and fungi, which live on feed waste, faeces and other secretions from the prawns, while in turn constituting their feed. Nutrient supply and water purification in one, then. But it is not a completely self-playing piano. Since the prawns are harvested and nutrients are then removed, replenishment of nutrition in the form of organic prawn feed is also required.
– There is still no organic certification for the land-based cultivation of prawns, but we hope that it will come, says Olstorpe.
The traditional farming system has existed for several thousand years, especially in Southeast Asia where cultivation is done in ponds. The new approach is to focus on basins on land and try to create the right conditions for prawns and microorganisms there, something that is not always so simple. It is about a combination of the right temperature (approx. 30°C), water quality and a balance between microorganisms, feed and shrimp.
– There is a lack of competence in Sweden when it comes to aquaculture, and prawns are also much more sensitive than fish when it comes to water quality. But when it comes to the cultivation itself, we have now managed all the childhood diseases and got it working on the second attempt.
Second attempt? Yes, and after two bankruptcies it is now the third attempt. This time the company is called Håva AB.
– Do it again, do it right! We really had to learn that the hard way, says Olstorpe with a laugh.
It’s rarely easy to be a pioneer, and an even bigger challenge than getting the farming to work has been dealing with Swedish authorities. Permits have dragged on and the requirements have changed during the course of the work, which made the previous attempts more difficult.
– Just something like the fact that we work with microorganisms has been a bit troublesome and the business has been classified as risk, even though we do not work with any dangerous microorganisms.
But in the previous corporate constellation there were also issues with management, which made it difficult to raise capital. Olstorpe emphasizes that the lesson has been learned – to bring in the right skills as well as investors who prioritize sustainability.
– Now we have turned over all the stones, all the documentation is ready, we have a board with a sustainability focus, a competent company management and technology manager. The business situation looks very good.
Within the next six months, they hope to raise the capital to be able to start building a new facility in Lysekil.
– I want to use the prize from Circular Gastronomy to find the right restaurants and chefs with a focus on sustainability and also to review our business plan and locate investors with a focus on food and sustainability. Then we have various residual flows from the farming, which it would be interesting to investigate if they can be used for the cultivation of, for example, algae or sea cucumbers.
What is your best cooking tip when it comes to shrimp?
– A chef prepared a lobster soup and served our prawns raw in the soup. It tasted amazing!
The cultivation of prawns has increased by 55 percent in the last ten years, from 3.6 to 5.6 million tons. Indonesia, China, India, Vietnam and Ecuador are the five largest producers, according to the industry organization Global Seafood Alliance; together they account for 74 percent of world production. Vannamei (whiteleg) are the most commonly cultivated, and it is precisely this variety that Matilda Olstorpe and Håva have chosen to grow.
Ann-Helen Meyer von Bremen