New products & Innovation
In order to stay ahead in the game and accommodate increased demands from customers, end-users and authorities when it comes to high-quality exciting products, food safety and efficient production, innovation is the key.
At the heart of our company is the responsibility to maximize the value of the limited North Atlantic marine resources to which we have access. In order to do so, we focus on creating innovation as early as possible in the value chain for our core species: cold-water prawns, Greenland halibut, snow crab, Greenland cod and lumpfish roe.
Innovation is much more than just new products and flavours. To Royal Greenland, innovation means looking at every step in the value chain, staying closest to the fish, closest to the customer and closest to the consumer, creating new production methods, healthier, tastier and safer products.
Closest to the fish – value creation in the first link of the chain
Prioritising innovation in the processes as close to the fishing ground and catch time as possible ensures high value and quality:
Lightly-salted cod for southern Europe
During 2015/16, Royal Greenland focused on developing lightly-salted cod products for the southern European markets. Traditionally, the popular southern European Bacalao dish is based on desalination of fully-salted cod, but recent years have seen an upswing in demand for the lightly-salted version, which does not require long desalination. Lightly-salted cod, distinguished by being individually frozen, is now produced locally in Greenland close to the catching areas. The cod is salted in vats in the traditional way, which results in a high-quality product, with a clear white colour. Greenland cod accounts for only a very small proportion of the international supply of cod, which makes it very important to develop and market products which are differentiated from the market standard.
Process and product development opening up new market segments
Royal Greenland's high-quality Nutaaq® cod, now being produced for the third season in Maniitsoq, Greenland, has been received well by the market. The production method is unique for Royal Greenland and based on principles behind salmon farming. New 2016 varieties without skin and nerve bones have been added to the assortment to meet the requirements of several different markets in Europe. There has been demand from certain parts of the industrial segment for the specific Nutaaq® quality and with the installation of new lines, and the significantly expanded freezer capacity, Royal Greenland is now able to accommodate the demand for de-headed Nutaaq® cod. Most recently, Nutaaq® cod was awarded the Seafood-Star prize in the frozen category at the Fischwirtschaftsgipfel fair in Hamburg, Germany.
Closest to the customer – legislation and customer requirements
Both suppliers and customers in retail and foodservice can create market benefits by staying ahead of new food product and official requirements.
Roe in natural colours
In the food industry, there is continued focus on reducing additives and increased use of natural, "Clean Label" ingredients. Traditionally, marinated roe products are dyed using synthetic colourants within the azo dye group. It is difficult to develop natural dyes that are stable in liquids, but using a combination of dyes based on plant extracts, it has been possible to develop a stable, natural, black colour for roe. In 2016, Royal Greenland launched an azo-free roe product for the British market.
The Green Keyhole
In the Nordic markets, the requirements of products carrying the "Green Keyhole" health label were tightened in 2016. As a consequence, the salt content of processed products such as prawns in brine and roe must be reduced by 50%. Based on a long-term research and development project in collaboration with the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Royal Greenland has reduced the salt content of cooked & peeled prawns, prawns in brine and shell-on prawns, and thereby retained the Green Keyhole. The taste and texture of the products involved has also been improved. In this case, research and development allowed Royal Greenland to stay ahead and meet the market's requirements before they arose.
Closest to the consumer – agility in the market
As a market leader in the seafood category, it is vital to stay abreast of current trends and consumer preferences.
Organic and gluten-free
There is increasing demand for gluten-free products in several European markets. On the basis of approval for gluten-free production at Royal Greenland's factory in Koszalin, Poland, three different breaded fish products with gluten-free breading for the Scandinavian market was launched during the year. Also, three types of coated fish products with organic breading have been launched in the market, and all six varieties are sold in both the retail and foodservice sectors.
