Former Marel executive Alan Cook has joined New Zealand King Salmon Investments as its new chief operating officer.
Cook, who most recently served as vice president for Marel’s fish division, has 20 years of senior management experience in the aquaculture industry. His career has seen him working in salmon farming on both coasts of Canada, Chile, and in the U.S. state of Washington.
Through his work with Marel, Cook helped to develop insights on best practices in seafood processing and information management, while maintaining strong ties to salmon farming, New Zealand King Salmon said in a press release.
“Alan brings an invaluable portfolio of experience across salmon farming and processing to contribute to achieving our vision for aquaculture to be one of New Zealand’s greenest industries providing sustainable, nutritious food for the future,” the company’s managing director and CEO Grant Rosewarne said.
Cook joins New Zealand King Salmon just as it’s about to embark on researching open ocean salmon farming. The company expects to kick off the endeavor by February 2019.
“I am really excited about the opportunity to work in New Zealand and working with a team that is as passionate about salmon farming as I am,” Cook said. “I started my career farming king salmon and always hoped I would have the opportunity to work with the species again.”
Last March, the company launched a limited supply of a seafood rarity – Ōra King Tyee, a unique brand of farmed Tyee salmon. The fish, which were raised in the Te Waikoropupu Springs in Takaka, were capable of growing to weigh more than 13 kilograms and were inspired by the NZ King Salmon’s nearly 25-year-old sustainable breeding program.
