The funding consists of a grant of NOK 20.34 million and a risk loan of NOK 13.4million. The goal is to transform the distribution of Norwegian seafood globally with the help of innovative thawing technology.
The company IceFresh, which has spent over 20 years developing technology to ensure fresh fish quality for frozen products, was acquired in 2021 by Roger Hofseth,majority shareholder of seafood company Hofseth International.
“We want to get customers around the world to choose frozen fish thawed with IceFresh technology instead of fresh fish.” Says Roger Hofseth. “This technology canreduce the environmental footprint and shipping costs of fish transportation byover 80 percent by moving from air freight to sea freight as well as cut food waste and providing customers with better quality. I am confident that thisproject will revolutionise how seafood is distributed globally.”
InnovationNorway has great faith in the project and emphasises that the ambitions are inline with their core missions. “We will contribute to green growth in Norwegianbusiness, and increased export of Norwegian seafood in a more sustainable way.That is absolutely central to us,” says Ingrind Severine Rønstad, senioradvisor at Innovation Norway and in charge of the project.
Technology willbe tested at an industrial scale.
Hofseth is experiencing great interest in the project among important customers around theworld, and the support from Innovation Norway makes it possible to test the technology at an industrial scale in Norway to begin with, and then through a pilot hub in the USA.
“To succeed internationally the technology needs to be in place before the retail chains dare to participate. The support from Innovation Norway makes it possible to develop, pilot and demonstrate a large-scale thawing solution which is adapted to industrial goods flow with a future-orientated production technology, a risk we could not take alone.” Says Roger Hofseth.
Can see a global potential
Hofseth has been a leader in technology development and creating a holistic and sustainable value chain within seafood. For example, sister company Hofseth Biocare is known for pioneering the 100% utilisation of the fish for human consumption. The IceFresh technology has the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint in the value chain.
“Long term, we will have many hubs around the world that can be used by all players,and for other types of fish than only salmon and trout. This is a solution which can give the whole seafood industry a sustainable boost.” Says Hofseth.
“Hofseth addresses two important areas of our strategy towards 2030 with the IceFresh project: Reduced CO2 emissions and increased exports other than oil and gas. Welook forward to seeing what this technology could contribute in this regard.” Says Helge Gjerde, Regional Director at Innovation Norway.
With the support from Innovation Norway, Hofseth is ready to take the Norwegian Fish distribution to a new and sustainable era.