Royal Greenland
Royal Greenland is one of the world’s leading companies in the production of fish and shellfish. Most of their production is located in Greenland along with their own fishing fleet. Their main products are cold-water prawns, Greenland halibut, cod, and crab. Royal Greenland is a food production company, but the large production volumes of their main products naturally generate significant volumes of side streams (value streams), which are important to utilise to the fullest.
Current status of side stream utilisation
Royal Greenland focuses strongly on optimal resource utilisation across the entire production value chain. Their goal is to achieve the best possible use of raw materials and to minimise waste. Side streams are therefore considered value streams at Royal Greenland, making it possible for the company to enter new markets with high-value products. This is important to their customers and consumers, aligning with ESG responsibilities and an improved green value chain.
Currently, the focus is on optimal utilisation of side streams from cold-water prawns and cod, as these account for the largest production volumes. Biosolutions are increasingly implemented in side stream work, for example by fermenting prawn shells to achieve new flavour profiles.
“It is essential to look at the utilisation rate of our raw materials and the value this creates both for the company and for Greenland. By-products that are naturally generated in our production are untapped value streams. It makes no sense to sail out and dump these streams in the sea. Instead, they should be used to produce high-value products, such as cod liver oil.”
Kristian Ottesen, Director, Royal Greenland
Cod frames make up one of the side streams from Royal Greenland’s production.
Partners involved
There is a strong focus on strategic partnerships – for example, with customers who want to secure access to resources, or knowledge institutions to develop competencies. Equipment suppliers are engaged to develop and optimise production processes and facilities, such as Alfa Laval. Royal Greenland also works with REDUCED to ferment prawn shells to explore how composition and flavour can be further developed for food applications.
Opportunities
In general, fishing quotas are declining, making it necessary to consider the utilisation rate of raw materials – both those that can be used directly and those that require processing.
Royal Greenland is currently preparing to launch two new productions this year and next year:
- Prawn meal – All initial assessments have been completed, the facility and production lines have been designed in 3D, and implementation is planned for August 2025.
- Cod liver – Cod fishing is seasonal (May to October). As the current season is underway, the aim is to have production ready by April 2026.
Cod liver oil is one of the high-value products that can be obtained from Royal Greenland’s side streams.
Solution
Royal Greenland is a production company, not a technology-driven business. Their ambitions for optimising production processes at various levels are essential, alongside being a company that creates value in Greenland. It is therefore important to continually develop competencies within the company, including those related to side streams from main products, so the entire value chain is optimised. Side streams are seen as untapped value streams that can open up new opportunities.
Case 1: Prawn meal
Royal Greenland currently processes 25,000 tonnes of prawns annually (cooked and peeled), making prawn shells a major surplus resource. Logistics costs are high in Greenland, and this side stream cannot simply be dumped at sea (logistical challenges), so it is particularly important to elevate this resource to the highest possible point in the value chain.
A method and production facilities have been developed to dry prawn shells and mill them into prawn meal, which can be sold as a B2B food ingredient contributing unique flavour. Prawn meal can also be used in the production of prawn crisps.
Recently, work has focused on modifying and optimising the production plant to reduce operating costs and develop a product with a higher market price. This now involves extracting chitin and chitosan from the prawn shells, enabling new, higher-value applications. The shells are processed into flakes rather than meal. This optimisation has made it possible to retain the existing processing facility and maintain market compatibility.
Royal Greenland collaborates with REDUCED, which specialises in creating value from side streams in food production. In this process, prawn shells are fermented, creating positive changes in fatty acid and protein profiles as well as flavour structure, further increasing value. Although the final product volume is relatively small, its market value is high.
Case 2: Nuutaq cod
To achieve the best quality cod fillets, Royal Greenland has developed a new processing method (Nuutaq) in collaboration with local fishermen in Greenland. With a maximum processing time of two hours, exceptional cod quality is ensured.
Cod is a major product category for Royal Greenland, but only 40% of the cod is used directly for food purposes (e.g., as fillets). The remaining 60% consists of side streams such as cod heads, frames, and viscera/stomachs. Royal Greenland has focused on how these value streams can be handled optimally so they remain within the existing food system.
Rather than dumping valuable fish side streams at sea, the aim is now to use the various parts to produce high-value products – for example, cod liver oil or scraped cod meat from frames to make mince. Cod heads alone account for 25–30% of the fish, and with the large processing volumes, it is essential to develop competencies to utilise all parts of the fish effectively.
Fresh animal side streams must be stabilised very quickly to avoid deterioration, making Royal Greenland’s current cod production system advantageous. New processes have been developed to utilise the various value streams from filleting, allowing them to be sold directly to markets in Asia or processed immediately on site.
Results and environmental/climate impact
Customers are starting to ask about the side streams generated in production and are showing interest, as climate accounting and the green transition have become central to food production, including ESG requirements.
Royal Greenland focuses on maximising the utilisation of all resources so that untapped value streams create benefits - both for the company and for Greenland. Dumping side streams into the sea is not a long-term sustainable solution, which is why new production forms are now being established to make the best use of these resources.