Nordic Seafood Summit: "It makes you happy"

It was another success when the seafood industry met at the Nordic Seafood Summit 2024. The event attracted more than 70 exhibiting companies, 800 participants and a wide range of actors from the entire Nordic industry to Eriksbergshallen in Gothenburg.

- The MSC was there from the start in Stockholm. This edition of the Nordic Seafood Summit is even better - as it should be when it grows," says Kim Rydeheim, from the MSC - Marine Stewardship Council.

From start to finish, the beams of the old shipyard workshop were buzzing. Exhibitors and visitors chatted, tasted, made plans and forged new collaborations for the future.

- It's a lot of fun. Super nice! The fact that there are twelve of us here from my little village, Träslövsläge, or Lejet, must mean that you've done something right," says Björn Bladh from Hansson fisk.

- "It's fantastic. Many people come and are curious about what we do, Oliver Östensson from Aquafood, which creates new products from the side streams of fishing.

- It's always nice to meet people in the fishing industry. Usually we go to the biggest seafood fair globally, in Barcelona, but this is much more intimate and there is more time to talk to people," says Mari Heikkilä, Kalanuevos.

Food and matchmaking

Side events on technology solutions for marine side streams and the guided tour of Gothenburg's fish auction, attracted full houses and a plethora of meetings took place during the two days of the event.

- The matchmaking area was full throughout the event. Such occasions are very important to get contacts that your business needs to innovate and develop, says Sonja Andrén from Innovatum Science Park.

Dialogue based on facts

The stage program offered the latest from the seafood industry and a range of input on a more sustainable industry with increased aquaculture, utilization of side streams and sustainability labeling. The politicians' session discussed the burning issue of food security and what is needed to increase the production and consumption of Swedish seafood.

- What we have here is a dialog based on facts. And when the whole industry - policy experts, authorities and actors from the whole value chain - come together, we get different perspectives on everything from sustainability, to how we reach the hearts of consumers. So it's a very, very nice platform that we want to continue to organize," says Krishan Kent, Chairman of the Board of the Swedish Seafood Federation.

Awards in the name of sustainability

Also on stage were award-winning Sweden Pelagic and CEO Martin Kuhlin, who received the newly established Seafood Award for the company's work on utilizing side streams from herring processing, as well as the three recipients of the MSC's Gold Fish Award - Feldt's fish and shellfish, Ekocentrum and Krishan Kent from the Swedish Seafood Federation.

Promising for 2025

There is no doubt that the Nordic Seafood Summit will be repeated in January 2025 and regional developer and representative of Region Västra Götaland Anders Carlberg summarizes the feeling of the 2024 event.

- "It makes you very happy to see all these fantastic products and all the people who have gathered here. It feels very, very promising for the future.