The seafood industry has changed its mind on side streams. A lot has changed in the seafood industry in a year. As recently as 2024, this was an industry interested in new solutions for its side streams, but one that saw its existing strategy as good enough. Using side streams for food products in the consumer market had sparked attention, but most processors and food producers were still on the fence about introducing new technology. In a year, everything has changed.
Where 2024 was full of curiosity, 2025 has shown how much the market has matured. Conversations this year are no longer about future opportunities, but the present. The industry no longer views this as a long game, but rather a real opportunity for market growth. Standard practices are no longer enough to meet demand, and following trends seen across the global economy, getting more profit out of what’s already available is the new normal. Here are three clear trends for the seafood industry in 2025.
There’s a mindset shift
Fish processors have built up clear processes for using side streams, mostly for oils, feed and health products, but the industry is now questioning whether this is viable anymore. A year ago, processors were happy to sell their fileting side streams to animal feed producers, but now they want to get more value out of them.
The mentality shift is not just reactive to market trends. We are seeing processors wanting to be ahead of the curve and maximize their raw material utilization by making more food per fish. The market for food products provides much bigger opportunities for higher sales prices than the status quo, and processors are actively addressing the growing global demand for seafood by exploring new ways to use more of their catch for human consumption.
To get more market traction, every new idea is on the table
The hesitation is gone. Where many food tech companies, such as our own, have previously been met with a “let’s wait and see” mentality, there is much more willingness to explore every avenue to profit growth in 2025. Meetings booked, tech demonstrations, facility visits, and kick-off meetings are now scheduled on the spot, showing how the industry is clearly more open to exploring new technology, new ideas, and new products they were not ready for in 2024.
Some still want to test new product types in their market before they license new technology to their own production, but many are also willing to go straight to talks about implementing these ideas. If 2025 continues as it has so far, the seafood industry will see a rapid growth of new innovative products across markets as processors put innovation at the top of their priority list.
Retailers lead the way
Success stories from smaller markets help processors understand the possibilities. Launching a new product with a large commercial partner in a country like Finland and seeing traction from the get-go makes other processors take interest.
As they understand that new consumer habits and trends are emerging, more are willing to try new things in their own market. Countries like Finland are seen as sandboxes for food products, also with the emergence of new plant-based products, and success in these first adopter markets is seen in the industry as a clear indication of the possibilities elsewhere.
So, what’s next?
As the industry shifts towards innovation, we are likely to see a significant number of innovative new food products hit supermarket shelves and restaurant tables in 2025 and 2026. The combination of a market demanding increased profitability and sustainable growth, with increased consumer demand and a growing seafood technology industry, means the future of seafood is here already.
Michaela Lindström, CEO of Hailia