Following the launch of the « insect-fed » trout in 2018 in Auchan supermarkets in the North of France, the multinational retail group continues to innovate with its sustainable trout. Auchan sustainable trout’s feed is further enriched with micro-algae and cleared from fishmeal or fish oil stemming from industrial fishing. This new initiative demonstrates that alternative solutions to industrial fishing – which still accounts for 17% of total fishing – do exist. Auchan Retail France thereby confirms its pioneering position in the development of sustainable aquaculture value chains with an emphasis on naturality
Following a first innovation in the feed of aquaculture trouts in 2018….
In the context of a fast-growing world population and fish consumption increasing globally, aquaculture enables a reduction of pressure on wild fish stocks. However, this booming industry must face a major challenge: the availability of natural and high-quality protein that meets fish nutritional requirements. The “insect-fed” trouts launched by Auchan in 2018 were a first response to that challenge.
Developped in partnership with insect producer InnovaFeed, feed formulator Skretting and fish farmer Truite Service, these “insect-fed” trouts are farmed in France. In their feed, 50% of fishmeal is replaced by insect protein.
A year later, this initiative is a success. Consumers have embraced the “insect-fed” trout. And the impact on our oceans is real: in 2019, 11 tons of forage fish have been saved thanks to the “insect-fed” trout!
… in 2020, Auchan’s sustainable trout becomes an even more sustainable product with superior nutritional qualities
In 2020, Auchan keeps the Momentum and goes further by launching a trout rich in omega-3 that both preserves our marine resources and benefits consumers’ health and well-being.
Leveraging more than 30 years of R&D in aquafeed, Skretting has developed an innovative recipe combining precisely insect meal produced by InnovaFeed and algal oil produced by Veramaris to meet fish nutritional needs. The rest of fishmeal and fish oil present in the trout diet comes from fish trimmings previously discarded therefore putting no pressure whatsoever on marine resources.
Insect proteins are maintained in this new aquafeed as a natural alternative to fishmeal and have been further improved compared to 2018. Indeed, the CO2 footprint of InnovaFeed’s insect protein is certified at least 51% lower than fishmeal.
Finally, Veramaris which produces algal oil naturally rich in omega-3 (EPA and DHA) has joined this pioneering value chain. The origin of the algae production and fermentation techniques that the company uses has its roots in the NASA Space Program enabling Veramaris to produce algal oil that is naturally rich in omega 3 EPA and DHA at an industrial scale. Omega-3 (EPA and DHA) are beneficial to human brain, eye and heart health. Fish are a unique source of high quality omega-3.
These sustainable trouts will be available in 52 Auchan supermarkets in the North of France starting March 2020 with the strong ambition to expand to the rest of France and other species (shrimp, salmon, sea bass, sea bream…) in 2020.
Auchan Retail France also relies on Mr. Goodfish recommendations for sustainable aquaculture. Several seafood products developed through Auchan Sustainable Value Chains (oysters, sea bream, mussels or even sea bream) are already fed with an aquafeed more respectful of marine resources. Consumers can easily identify these products on the shelves thanks to the presence of Mr. Goodfish logo.
