CFEED triples copepod egg production with new Vanvikan facility

NORWAY – CFEED, the Norwegian pioneer in sustainable marine aquaculture, marked a major milestone on August 20 during AquaNor week with the official opening of its expanded production facility in Vanvikan, near Trondheim. 

The development triples the company’s output of live hatchable Acartia tonsa copepod eggs, strengthening Norway’s position at the forefront of global aquaculture innovation.

The opening was attended by industry leaders and government representatives, including Even Tronstad Sagebakken, State Secretary at the Ministry of Aquaculture, underscoring the facility’s importance to Norway’s seafood sector.

Meeting soaring global demand

The upgraded site introduces state-of-the-art technology designed to meet rapidly growing demand from hatcheries worldwide. 

Copepods have been widely recognised as the optimal live feed for fish larvae, providing superior nutrition, faster growth, and improved survival rates compared to conventional starter feeds.

“We’re not just scaling production – we’re enabling the industry to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and sustainability,” said Tore Remman, CEO of CFEED. 

“Today’s visit from the Ministry of Aquaculture of Norway and the opening of our expanded facility mark a new milestone for CFEED and the global aquaculture industry. Our technology and sustainability not only strengthens Norway’s leadership in marine innovation but also supports healthier, more sustainable fish farming worldwide.”

With production capacity more than tripling, CFEED aims to supply an expanding global customer base across Nordic, European, and Asian markets, all seeking natural, high-quality feed solutions that reduce environmental impacts.

Breakthrough technology in algae cultivation

At the heart of the expansion is a new production line featuring revolutionary microalgae cultivation systems. Roughly 20 kilometers of bioreactors have been installed to grow copepod feed under tightly controlled, sustainable conditions.

“The major technological breakthrough in our new production line is how we produce microalgae in a more controlled and sustainable way,” explained Linn Baardsgaard, CFEED’s Director of Sales & Marketing. 

“This allows us to maintain the exceptional nutritional profile that makes our copepods so valuable to hatcheries worldwide.”

A decade of pioneering innovation

Founded in 2014 by marine biologists from SINTEF Ocean, CFEED became the world’s first company to commercialise large-scale copepod egg production. 

The Vanvikan site remains the only facility of its kind globally, combining decades of research with commercial-scale delivery.

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