Top-selling European plant-based seafood company Novish will be making its U.S. debut this September at Natural Products Expo East.
“We’re excited to bring European-quality products with a winning combination of taste, texture and affordability that will be appealing to the U.S. market,” says Novish Cofounder Maiko van der Meer, who pivoted from heading major meat and seafood companies to driving large-scale innovation in the plant-based seafood market upon recognizing the importance of a sustainable future for the next generation. In just over a year, the brand is now available in 15 countries including Israel, Hong Kong and Canada.
“After extensive R&D, we’ve developed a product line that people—from foodies to top chefs—regard as indistinguishable from ‘the real-thing’,” adds van der Meer, explaining Novish’s exponential growth. The brand has an established following through 300 locations of the largest pan-European fish restaurant chain Nordsee, and has earned approvals by Compass Group, a global food service management company, and METRO/Makro Wholesale, one of the world’s largest wholesalers. The company has also recently signed a contract with leading U.K. online retailer Ocado for its plant-based fingers and burgers.
With plant-based seafood hailed as the next frontier of the alt-meat sector expected to grow to $8.3 billion by 2025, the company will be seeking Series B funding in the near future to scale into U.S. food service, retail and wholesale.
Billing itself as sustainable and healthy, Novish’s product line of fishless sticks, bites, burgers, chunks, fillets and tuna are free from 7 of the “Top 8” allergens (soy, eggs, milk, nuts, peanuts, fish and shellfish) as well as palm-oil and artificial additives like flavor enhancers, colorings and preservatives.