Bettaf!sh Launches Vegan Canned Tuna As It Hits A Conservation Milestone

Honoring World Ocean Day on June 8, alternative seafood start-up Bettaf!sh has unveiled its latest sustainability data, spotlighting strides made through a unique product line centered on seaweed, a regenerative and biodiversity-supporting marine resource.

According to Bettaf!sh, its vegan seafood alternatives have prevented 122 tons of tuna and 124 tons of bycatch from being consumed since its launch in 2021. Yet, the company says it’s far from done, as the Berlin-based startup is set to launch its newest product, the Tu-Nah can, which will soon be available via an exclusive waiting list.

‘Good impact food’

World Ocean Day holds special significance for Bettaf!sh, a company dedicated to preserving the world’s oceans. “Seventy percent of the Earth is covered by water, yet we mainly rely on the remaining 30% to feed our population,” Co-Founder Deniz Ficicioglu said in a statement. Bettaf!sh has aligned itself with The Ocean Project’s #Protect30x30 campaign, aiming to safeguard 30 percent of the world’s land and waters by 2030, leveraging seaweed’s ecological benefits in the process.

Seaweed, a “good impact food”, flourishes without requiring soil, freshwater, fertilizers, or pesticides, simultaneously restoring equilibrium to fragile marine ecosystems. It also presents a sustainable alternative to fishing that upholds the economic stability of fishing communities without necessitating relocation inland. The promise of transitioning from fishing to seaweed cultivation has been realized in collaborative efforts with partners like Seaweed Solutions.

Tu-nah

Deniz and his co-founder Jacob von Manteuffel, in collaboration with food technologists and chefs, have crafted Tu-Nah, an authentic tuna substitute that is entirely plant-based, packed with protein, and free of soy and wheat. This innovation targets the $42 billion tuna market, where 43 percent of the global tuna stocks are fished at biologically unsustainable levels, according to FAO.

The impact of Bettaf!sh’s seaweed-based foods has resonated across Europe, reaching Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Greece, and the U.K. Since its Tu-Nah Sandwiches launched in October 2021, Bettaf!sh has served 62.2 tons of Tu-Nah, which it says spared 122 tons of conventional tuna from being removed from oceans and avoiding 124 tons of bycatch. Moreover, through seaweed cultivation with local farms in Norway and Ireland, Bettaf!sh has absorbed 1.32 tons of CO₂ and conserved 1.25 million liters of freshwater.

Plant-based seafood is on the rise with a number of companies entering the market in recent years. Last month, Wicked Kitchen, which owns the vegan tuna leader Good Catch, announced the acquisition of Current Foods — a  startup specializing in plant-based seafood for fine dining establishments and food service operations across the U.S. and Europe.