Seaspiracy and the rise of plant-based seafood

The popular Netflix film has highlighted the incoming wave of seafood alternatives

Between 2014 and 2018, the number of people following a vegan diet in the UK doubled twice. And since then, numbers have only continued to rise. Today, almost four in 10 UK households have bought meat-free alternatives like Quorn.[1]

But the plant-based meat market is becoming a very busy place. From fresh brands like the Meatless Farm Company and Beyond Meat to Greggs’ very own vegan sausage roll[2], it’s getting harder for nutrition companies to stand out from the crowd.

In response, we’re now seeing the meatless movement turn its attention on the seafood market. And with documentaries like Seaspiracy shining a light on issues within the fishing industry, now is the time for brands to take advantage of the plant-based seafood trend as it begins to show huge potential for growth.

Seaspiracy: are we running out of fish?

Earlier this year, Netflix released Seaspiracy: an original documentary about the environmental impact of fishing. The film touched on key areas of marine conservation, including plastic marine debris, ghost nets, overfishing and dolphin hunting, and argued that commercial fisheries have been the main driver of marine ecosystem destruction.[1]

The documentary has been controversial to say the least, sparking some very important discussions. It takes a no holds barred approach to marine conservation, accusing sustainable sea organisations of covering up both the environmental impact of fishing and the corruption within the industry itself. Ultimately, the film puts forward the argument that fish consumption should end worldwide.

Naturally, this has evoked some strong and varied responses. PETA wrote that the documentary is “not to be missed”[2], and Greenpeace also commended the film[3], while the National Fisheries Institute called it a “dishonest attack”[4].

The rise of plant-based seafood

The explosive reception of Netflix’s documentary has opened the floodgates to discussions about the need for plant-based seafood. While vegan meat alternatives are quickly becoming a supermarket staple, plant-based seafood is just beginning its rise to mainstream popularity. But there is no doubt that it is indeed rising.

According to SPINS, sales of plant-based seafood have risen almost a quarter (24%) in the last year, reaching a record £12.2 million.[1] Plant-based seafood has been presented as an ethical answer to the growing questions surrounding the morality of the fishing industry, as well as a way to deal with extremely common seafood allergies. Seafood allergies afflict 2.3% of the population in the US alone, which equates to around 6.6 million people.[2]

Vegan seafood brand Good Catch wins $26.35 million in funding

One of the biggest plant-based seafood success stories to hit the headlines in recent weeks was the huge investment secured by vegan seafood brand Good Catch. The company won $26.35 million in funding from major firms around the world, including Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) and Big Idea Ventures.

CEO Christine Mei commented: “As demand for plant-based seafood continues to rise, we look forward to further collaboration with LDC to create breakthrough opportunities.”[1]

Marked as a big win for the plant-based movement, this funding will help push vegan seafood alternatives to the forefront of the industry, ultimately raising awareness of the importance of alternative fish products and plant-based diets as a whole.

PureSea® bridges the gap between seafood and veganism

Consumers are increasingly looking for plant-based seafood alternatives, and PureSea® has a vital role to play.

PureSea® creates a plant-based natural sea flavour using wild harvested organic Hebridean seaweed. As the only viable vegan source of iodine, seaweed helps to address common gaps in vegan diets. Currently, fish is one of the primary sources of iodine in the average diet, so seaweed will be essential in introducing vegan alternatives.

As flavour-boosting nutritional enhancement, our PureSea® range boasts EU Approved Health Claims such as contribution to a normal metabolism, cognitive function, skin maintenance and more.