Stolt Sea Farm is building two new sole production farms in Cervo, Spain, and Tocha, Portugal.
Part of the London, United Kingdom-based Stolt-Nielsen Group, Stolt Sea Farm is also planning on expansion of its sole farm in Anglet, France, which has been in operation since 2009
When complete, the projects will raise the company’s sole production from 850 metric tons (MT) to 2,800 MT by 2023.
Stolt Sea Farm President Jordi Trias said his firm’s eventual goal is to bring its sole production up to match its production of turbot, which stands today at around 5,400 MT. A planned second phase in the development of the Spanish and Portuguese will get the company close to its goal, he added.
“We believe there is great potential for the company to double its size during the next 15 years, as market demand for both turbot and sole is expected to remain strong,” Trias said. “This is an interesting time for everyone at SSF and we are excited to be preparing for our next phase of growth.”
Trias said the company is now able to operate farms closer to its main consumer markets, “reducing the time to market and further improving the sustainability of its operations.” That may lead it to open new facilities – he said the company “has begun negotiations at potential sites identified in Spain, Portugal, and several other countries in Europe, Africa, and the Americas.”
Besides its sole operations, Stolt Sea Farm also runs nine turbot farms in three countries and Sterling Caviar in Elverta, California, U.S.A. It launched “King Turbot,” its new global brand of fresh and frozen turbot products, in 2018, and said it plans to build a commercial platform for its caviar products in 2019.
Photo courtesy of Stolt Sea Farm
