Pulmuone, BlueNalu Partner to Commercialize Cell-Cultured Seafood

Pulmuone Co. Ltd. and BlueNalu Inc. team up to bring cell-cultured seafood to the market. The companies signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) to upgrade their existing partnership.

Through this latest cooperation, Pulmuone and BlueNalu are hoping to launch seafood products in the local market. It was on Thursday, Oct. 5, when the South Korean food company officially confirmed its plans with the US-based cellular aquaculture firm.

Details of the Expanded Collaboration

Pulmuone and BlueNalu are planning to focus on the growing cell-cultured seafood market in South Korea. Moreover, their expanded partnership will support the latter’s aim of launching cell-cultured seafood in a number of Asia Pacific regions in the coming years.

In addition to its team-up with South Korea’s Pulmuone, it was revealed that the expanded collaborations of BlueNalu also include independent MOUs with other firms, such as Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation and Thailand’s Thai Union. The American startup is looking to strengthen its presence in the global seafood industry with these partners.

In any case, The Korea Economic Daily reported that BlueNalu’s enhanced agreement with Pulmuone builds on the initial MOU, which they signed in August 2019. Even at that time, they shared the common goal of working for a sustainable future of food, particularly in the seafood category, since BlueNalu already produced seafood products produced from fish cell cultivation.

The Shared Goal for Sustainable Future of Fishing

BlueNalu's chief stressed their company has the same ambition as Pulmuone, and this is to achieve sustainable fishing for the future. "Our collective efforts aim to offer consumers a healthier and safer seafood alternative, paving the way for the broader acceptance of cell-cultured seafood," he said.

"We are honored to deepen our collaborations with Mitsubishi Corporation, Pulmuone Co. Ltd., and Thai Union, visionary partners who share our commitment to driving innovation and shaping the future of the seafood industry,” BlueNalu’s president and chief executive officer, Lou Cooperhouse, said in a press release.

The CEO went on to say, “These extended partnerships in the APAC region underscore our dedication to working collaboratively with local experts in each region that we target, and our ultimate goal to provide our customers with healthy and trusted seafood options that have superior product benefits and align with evolving market conditions."

Photo by: Cath Smith/Unsplash