San Diego-Based Cellular Aquaculture Company, BlueNalu, Expands Operations
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San Diego-Based Cellular Aquaculture Company, BlueNalu, Expands Operations
Increase in research facilities prepares company to initiate its commercialization phases
April 22, 2019—San Diego, Calif. BlueNalu, with a mission to provide a wide array of sustainable seafood products to consumers around the world via their cellular aquaculture process, announced today the move to a larger research facility that will allow the company to complete their initial commercialization goals.
BlueNalu will supplement the current industry practice in which fish are farmed or wild-caught in our oceans and seas, and will manufacture a wide array of seafood products directly from fish cells. The company plans to develop products from finfish, crustaceans and mollusks that are over-fished, primarily imported, and difficult to farm-raise. BlueNalu will also develop seafood products that are familiar to consumers, have high per capita consumption, command premium pricing, and are under stress or challenged by environmental contamination, toxins, or pollutants.
“BlueNalu represents a new opportunity for ocean sustainability, species preservation, and ultimately, the availability of seafood,” said U.S. Congressman, Scott Peters. “San Diego is a hot bed for research and innovation, so it’s no surprise BlueNalu is growing here in CA-52. Our blue economy includes more than 1,400 companies that are developing new technology and products and I look forward to seeing BlueNalu’s continued success.”
Seafood consumption has doubled over the last 50 years and continues to rise, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and the current seafood industry will be challenged to meet this increasing global demand. Furthermore, our global seafood supply chain is constrained by a series of complex issues including overfishing, illegal fishing, ocean acidification, rising ocean temperatures, plastics and environmental pollutants. BlueNalu is providing a cell-based alternative that can be the solution to many of the world’s seafood-supply challenges.
“We plan to reduce fishery pressure, displace the need for imports, create jobs, and enhance food security in each country in which we go to market, in a way that is healthy for people, humane for sea life, and sustainable for our planet,” said Lou Cooperhouse, president and CEO of BlueNalu. “We are thrilled to be established and growing this important business in San Diego, and to be one step closer to our goal of creating a much more stable seafood supply chain.”
BlueNalu’s three founders, Chris Somogyi, Chairman; Chris Dammann, PhD, Chief Technology Officer; and Cooperhouse, each moved from out-of-state, and selected San Diego to launch the company for its access to highly qualified talent, vibrant BlueTech and biotech ecosystem, and its proud history of commercial fishing and seafood production. BlueNalu’s new 6,000 square-foot facility is located in the Sorrento Valley section of San Diego. The Company currently employs 12 full-time people, utilizes a number of contracted resources, and recently announced a world-class Advisory Board of nine individuals with expertise in brand/business strategy, consumer insight and communications, nutrition and regulatory policy, technology and commercialization, and marine conservation and sustainability.
Speakers at BlueNalu’s Earth Day ribbon cutting ceremony included leadership from state and local government and academic officials, including: U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52); San Diego County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar; City of San Diego City Councilmember Chris Cate; San Diego World Trade Center Executive Director Nikia Clarke, PhD; and the Director of the UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Margaret Leinen, PhD. Celebrity Chef Roy Yamaguchi and BlueNalu CEO Lou Cooperhouse also provided remarks. BlueNalu coordinated their announcement with Earth Day to bring to the forefront their commitment to ocean health and the need for sustainable practices, and the company’s alignment with ten different United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
The new location for the BlueNalu Headquarters is 6197 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 111, San Diego, CA 92121. For more information on BlueNalu go to www.bluenalu.com
About BlueNalu
BlueNalu's mission is to be the global leader in cellular aquaculture™, providing consumers with great tasting, healthy, safe, and trusted seafood products that are healthy for people,
humane for sea life, and sustainable for our planet BlueNalu is aligned with ten United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and is based in San Diego, California.
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