Ensenada, Mexico-based Pacifico Aquaculture, which calls itself the world’s first and only producer of ocean-raised striped bass, has hired veteran aquaculture executive Per-Roar Gjerde as CEO, the firm announced in a statement.
Gjerde resigned last year from Norway-headquartered Mowi, the world’s largest Atlantic salmon farmer, as its COO of Farming Americas and the Faroes. He had served as COO of farming globally from November 2018, after working as COO of Farming Norway and Chile from January 2017 to October 2018. He joined Mowi in 2007 after it bought Fjord Seafood Norway, where he had worked as controller from 2002 to 2007. Following the acquisition, he was named regional director of Mowi Norway Region West, before being promoted in 2016 to managing director of Mowi Chile.
“I am thrilled about the opportunity to join Pacifico as CEO during this exciting and dynamic moment. The brand has a stellar and proven track record of meaningful progress in sustainable aquaculture, and I am honored to help shepherd it through this next phase and build on the momentum established by current co-CEOs Omar Alfi and Daniel Farag,” Gjerde said.
In what it called a “watershed moment,” the company has just received Fair Trade certification, the first fish farm in the Americas to achieve this distinction.
Alfi and Farag are to maintain their board roles at the company, and will remain actively involved with the business.
“The appointment of Per-Roar Gjerde as CEO is a critical next step in fortifying Pacifico’s role as North America’s leading aquaculture platform.” Dustin Beck, co-founder of Butterfly Equity, a private equity firm specializing in the food sector that holds a majority interest in Pacifico, said. “Mr. Gjerde’s remarkable expertise in all aspects of scaling fish farming businesses will help us achieve unlimited growth opportunities.”
Pacifico’s ocean-raised striped bass is known as Pacifico Striped Bass. Available throughout the U.S. via retailers, restaurants, and direct-to-retail partnerships, it is featured in the menus of numerous Michelin star restaurants across the U.S. and Mexico. The company was named “Supplier of the Year” from Whole Foods, and this year it launched a frozen retail program along with increased distribution to over 1,300 doors.
Photo courtesy of Mowi
