Lithuania-based Vičiūnai Group and Finland-based Kalaneuvos Oy have been awarded with the top honors at the 2025 Seafood Excellence awards, which took place at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, Spain, on 6 May.
Vičiūnai Group took home the Best Retail Prize for its Cold-Smoked Atlantic Salmon and Truffles.
“The award has a huge impact for Viciunai Group because everyone who comes to us will know that we have something to show, something to offer, something innovative and totally different in the market,” Viciunai Group Head of Product Development Šarūnas Stankevičius said. “Even if the award doesn’t sell the product itself, it sells us as a company. Name recognition is very, very important.”
Oy claimed best HORECA (hotel/restaurant/catering) Product for its Trout Bacon.
A panel of judges reviewed a field of 40 finalists representing 15 countries around the globe. This year’s judges included Wonderfield Group Purchasing Director for Europe Paula Merrigan, La Sirena Seafood Purchasing Director Raul Cervera, Sodexo Italia Category Manager Luca Grosoli, Rewe Group Private Label Buyer Madeleine Hűffelmann, and Carrefour Fresh Fish Buyer in France Jonathan Rotge.
The finalists were judged on taste and overall eating experience, packaging, marketability, convenience, nutritional value, and innovation.
The jury praised Vičiūnai Group’s Cold Smoked Atlantic Salmon and Truffles for successfully balancing the bold flavors of truffle and salmon.
With a similar texture to pork bacon, Kalaneuvos Oy’s Bacon Trout becomes crispy when cooked in a pan, oven, or air fryer and can be served on pizzas, burgers, pasta, and baked potatoes. The judges noted the trout’s great flavor, texture, and nutritional benefits. They also highlighted the product for its menu versatility, as it gives chefs and recipe developers a comparable non-meat alternative to pork bacon.
In addition to the two grand winners, the judges selected four other products for special awards in the convenience, retail packaging, seafood product line, and innovation categories.
Spain-based Frime S.A.U. won the special prize for convenience for its Tuna Pibil, a ready-to-eat product made from yellowfin tuna, sauced and shredded, pibil-style, with Mexican aromas and spices.
Winning the special award for retail packaging, Vičiūnai Group took home another prize for its Cold-Smoked Mussels in Chili Oil, which are packed in a clear jar overwrapped with an embossed sleeve.
Iceland’s Isstormur efh won the award for best seafood product line for its line of unique shelf-stable fish meals, featuring three dishes that can be served hot or cold: Hawaiian Salmon Salad, Mackerel with Chickpeas in a Spicy Moroccan Sauce, and Tuna Risoni.
Vičiūnai Group took home a third award for its Cold-Smoked Salmon Loin with Black Ants, which features a crunchy crust of edible black ants, winning the innovation award.
Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global attendees can see the winners and all the other finalists on display in the venue’s Product Showcase, located between Fira Barcelona’s halls 4 and 5 in the Galleria. The full list of Seafood Excellence products can also be viewed online on Seafood Expo Global’s website.
