The Grieg family unveiled plans to divide ownership of its business interests between two active family companies, in a move it said is designed to create more focused ownership of its shipping and seafood assets.
The restructuring of the company follows a generational transition that left the family with 17 shareholders from the fourth and fifth generations. In a statement, the family said the division of the businesses reflects differing interests and competencies among shareholders, and is intended to strengthen the long-term development of the assets.
The most significant change for the seafood sector is that the Willumsen Grieg family branch will take ownership of the Grieg Group's 50.2 percent stake in salmon farmer Grieg Seafood ASA through a new company called Grieg Aqua.
As part of the restructuring, Belgian investment company Ackermans & van Haaren (AvH) will become a co-owner of Grieg Aqua, taking a 37.5 percent stake.
The Willumsen Grieg branch will also take ownership of smaller interests in consulting and real estate and establish a new family company to manage these assets and pursue future investments.
“The division ensures more focused ownership, which we believe is best for the further development of our companies,” the Grieg family stated.
Grieg Maturitas Chair Jon Haugervåg said the structure was particularly important given the nature of the family's existing portfolio.
“A large proportion of the portfolio is exposed to the shipping and seafood sectors, both of which are cyclical and capital-intensive. This requires active and focused ownership,” he said.
The remaining family branches will continue to develop the wider Grieg Group, which will comprise Grieg Maritime Group, Grieg Investor, and Grieg Kapital. The shareholders intend to continue allocating capital to these businesses and to new business areas from a long-term, industrial perspective.
Despite the division of business ownership, the family will retain common interests.
Grieg Gaarden, the group's headquarters, will remain jointly-owned and continue to serve as a common meeting place for the family and its businesses.
The Grieg Foundation will also remain a shared commitment, retaining a 25 percent ownership stake in both family companies created through the restructuring. Established by Per Grieg Sr. in 2002, it has so far distributed more than NOK 1.2 billion (USD 128.7 million, EUR 110.6 million) to charitable causes.
The family said the ownership division had been “characterized by constructive cooperation among shareholders,” and was intended to ensure “more focused ownership” for the benefit of the further development of the companies.
"The division is the result of a thorough process in which the assessment of various possibilities has been characterised by constructive cooperation among the shareholders," the family said. "We are all looking forward to continuing our ownership into new generations, now distributed between two active and industrial family companies."
Grieg Seafood experienced a difficult first-half of 2026, with a lower harvest, revenue and EBIT. However, CEO Nina Willumsen Grieg confirmed measures had been taken to deliver improvements in the second-half, with an increase in the full-year harvest guidance to 31,000 gutted weight tons (GWT).
