Founded 32 years ago on the island of Java, Indonesia, by a Swiss, Regal Springs farms tilapia in Java, Sumatra, Mexico and Honduras. The company carries out its genetic selection, produces its fry, processes its fish and sells it. It does this with six employees in Hamburg for Europe, and some 5,000 workers distributed between the farms and the factories.

"As a pioneer in tilapia aquaculture, Regal Springs was the first company to be ASC-certified almost ten years ago," points out Petra Weigl, Director of Regal Springs Europe. "Our DNA is respect for people, the environment, animals and quality." This is amply illustrated by low densities, cages in clear lake water, no antibiotics or additives, a near-vegetarian diet, manual filleting, bone removal, use of by-products and full traceability with integrated blockchain technology.

"These conditions result in the best quality." Large fillets are cut, up to 300 grams. "Fairly mild-tasting, our tilapia is firm and fleshy.”

The tilapia producer’s head office is in Singapore, but Regal Springs has chosen Hamburg as its European office, with storage in Yerseke in the Netherlands. "We have been expanding our presence in Europe for the past three years in order to reduce our dependence on the US market," explains Petra Weigl. Europe has become a significant market, behind the US and ahead of Asia, thanks primarily to the Netherlands and the UK. The company is listed in Germany with Metro, Frischeparadies and Kaufland, in the Netherlands with Jumbo, and with other Dutch and Belgian private label retailers. It intends to further develop the neighbouring markets, with a Frenchman in the team, François Delpierre, Sales manager.

Solène LE ROUX
Translation : Catherine ROUSSEY