Singapore based Shiok Meats Pte. Ltd. (Shiok Meats) and Vietnam’s leading shrimp producer and processor, Minh Phu Seafood Joint Stock Company (Minh Phu Seafood) announced that they had signed an MOU to cooperatively carry out research and development (R&D) in the production of sustainable seafood, which includes setting up a joint R&D facility in Vietnam.
The announcement is a step forward in sustainable cultivated aquaculture innovation, paving the way for conventional seafood companies to leverage cutting-edge cultivated seafood technology to offer a diversified portfolio of both conventional and cultivated seafood. The joint R&D facility adds to the ecosystem around healthier diets and rising mindful consumption.
In a joint statement, Dr. Sandhya Sriram, Group CEO, Chairman & Co-Founder of Shiok Meats, said, “Setting up a joint R&D facility with Minh Phu Seafood is a major milestone for us. Our vision has always been collaborating with established seafood companies and hatcheries to add variety to the portfolio and food security narrative through aquaculture innovation, research, and tech transfer. Our satellite R&D facility in Vietnam will focus on research and technology.â€
In addition to this R&D lab collaboration, Shiok and Minh Phu will explore the opportunity to develop, produce, market, and distribute cultivated shrimp products. The collaboration includes working on a feasibility study of commissioning and operating plants to produce cultivated crustaceans in Vietnam. These prospective development schemes are also well aligned with Minh Phu’s long term visions, which are to pioneer state-of-the-art technologies, aiming towards the sustainable development of the seafood industry in Vietnam particularly and the whole world.
Shiok Meats is a cultivated meat and seafood company – the first of its kind in Singapore and South-East Asia. Shiok Meats owns SEA’s first cultivated red meat company, Gaia Foods. Its mission is to bring delicious, sustainable, and healthy seafood to the table, using technology to grow meat from healthy cells instead of animals. Currently it is producing crustaceans like shrimps, crabs, and lobsters and is the first in the world to do so using cellular agriculture technology.
Minh Phu Seafood Joint Stock Company is a Vietnam-based company primarily engaged in shrimp processing. Minh Phu’s mission is to provide the global market with the best, freshest, and most nutritious Vietnamese shrimp products. Simultaneously, it also brings the consumers peace of mind and wonderful experiences at every table and meal. Currently, Minh Phu is the leading shrimp producer in Vietnam and the world, who has been developing the integrated shrimp value chain from hatchery, farming, processing, logistics, import, distribution and retail.
