What makes Bakkafrost Salmon special?
Born of the North Atlantic, our salmon breed is fed a wholesome diet that we carefully harvest from their natural environment surrounding the Faroe Islands.
These small strips of land marked by sharp, steep cliffs, are nestled in the middle of the North Atlantic and boast a cold, clean tide that keeps the surrounding waters pristine.
This, coupled with Bakkafrost’s acute attention to detail and an unrivalled vertical integration throughout their streamlined company, makes for some of the finest salmon in the world.
Bakkafrost boasts a workforce with many years of experience and understanding: a workforce who emphasizes quality, animal welfare, and sustainability. From a special feed harvested locally to the humane way fish are processed, Bakkafrost manages every aspect of their superior salmon.
Let the numbers speak for themselves: low FCR, low mortality rates, high average weights, high omega-3 content, and more marine ingredients in their fish feed.
Bakkafrost is a one-stop, farmed-salmon emporium dedicated to your needs. Bakkafrost is a large, well certified producer of superior salmon, yet flexible enough to accommodate any customer. Customers will always be in focus.
Location – the Faroe Islands origin
The Faroe Islands is a boutique origin for top quality salmon. The Faroe Islands is a small, remote island group located in the middle of the North Atlantic with a population less than 50,000 people. Despite its small size, the Faroese aquaculture industry stands out as a boutique producer specializing in top quality Atlantic Salmon. The industry is committed to maintaining the highest levels of fish welfare and sustainability, which is clearly reflected in the high quality of farmed salmon from the Faroe Islands.
The Faroe Islands are the perfect location for premium salmon production. Its’ remote location is complemented by pristine clear waters, cool steady sea temperatures, strong currents, and accessible fjords that are deep and long. Drawn to this perfect mix of conditions, wild Atlantic Salmon from all over northern Europe make their way north of the Faroe Islands to feed.
The Faroese people have lived off the ocean for centuries and have a deep respect for the ocean and the environment. The aquaculture industry in the Faroe Islands is committed to sustainability and sound stewardship of the environment. The industry worked closely with the Faroese Government to design and implement one of the world’s most stringent aquaculture regulatory regimes governing veterinarian best practices. The goal of this comprehensive legislation was to create the most predictable and sustainable salmon production environment in the world. The legislation ensures strict compliance with the highest level of fish welfare and environmental protection possible. This exclusive veterinary prevention programme has been so effective that farmed salmon from the Faroe Islands are completely free of antibiotics.
The Faroese aquaculture industry has a long and proud history, with roots dating back to 1967. This heritage, combined with ideal natural conditions and a commitment to sustainability and quality, is now being recognized around the world. Salmon from these small islands in the middle of the North Atlantic are exported to six continents. The high demand for farmed salmon from the Faroe Islands stems from the country’s historic commitment to long-term sustainability. This demand combined with the relatively small size of the archipelago means that Faroese producers have a hard time satisfying demand. Farmed salmon is a vital part of the Faroese economy, representing about 50% of the country’s exports, providing valuable jobs for rural communities.
To maintain fish welfare and freshness, it is imperative that the transport time from on-growing site to broodstock station is as short as possible. Due to the small size of the Faroe Islands, these transport times are extremely short, guaranteeing optimal freshness and quality. And considering our streamlined transportation infrastructure, fresh salmon from the Faroe Islands in the middle of the North Atlantic can reach the US market within 24 hours of harvesting.
Feed
Feed is one of the most important aspects when producing top quality salmon. Uniquely, Bakkafrost produces its own fishmeal and fish oil, which is processed into high-quality fish feed at the same facility.
This impressive vertical integration allows Bakkafrost full control of the content in our fish feed and helps maintain a higher level fishmeal than most other salmon producers, giving Bakkafrost Salmon a better fat content rich in the healthy Omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. This natural diet is evident in the impeccable taste of Bakkafrost Salmon.
The natural diet for wild salmon is, of course, rich in marine matter. By keeping our farmed salmon´s diet as natural as possible, we produce some of the industry´s best Feed Conversion Ratios - a key indicator of sustainability.
All fish used to produce Bakkafrost´s fishmeal and fish oil is from approved sustainable fisheries - a large portion being fish and off-cuts or fish that don’t go directly to human consumption.
The result is a higher quality salmon produced sustainably with impressive food in food out result.
Bakkafrost Salmon even healthier with cleaned fish oil
In November 2014 it was announced that all Bakkafrost salmon will be fed fishmeal produced from fish oil which is cleaned for environmental pollutants like PCBs and Dioxins.
Dioxins and dl-PCBs can be detected in many foods. Limits for the levels of these environmental pollutants are strictly regulated. Routine tests made by the Faroese Food and Veterinary Authority show that the levels of these environmental pollutants in Faroe Islands Salmon are far below all assigned limits. However, by cleaning the fish oil in the feed, Bakkafrost believes that it will differentiate Bakkafrost Salmon and strengthen its position as one of the healthiest farmed salmon in the marketplace.
Sustainability
Bakkafrost intends to operate a sustainable business. The goal of the company is to reduce the company’s impact on the environment. All employees are strongly encouraged to exercise responsibility towards the environment. All employees are educated on potential environmental and operational dangers of the company, as well as the necessary training to avoid these dangers and reduce accidents. The company goes to all means to seek out and develop environmentally sound solutions.
Our salmon are farmed in its own natural and very healthy environment and our practices ensure the welfare of the fish. We employ low stocking densities that enable Bakkafrost salmon to grow naturally in farming areas that are totally separated by fjords. The fjords of the Faroe Islands have excellent biological conditions, stable water temperature throughout the year, and strong currents providing a continuous flow of fresh seawater through and around the cages.
These environmental considerations and our attention to detail help us provide:
a farmed salmon that is robust and healthy
a strict management regime and low mortality rates
the lowest average feed conversion ratio and mortality rate in the industry
full traceability from roe to the final product
a fish rich in Omega-3
a non-GMO feed
Bakkafrost Quality Management
Bakkafrost develops, produces, and markets top quality salmon products that meet the most rigorous specifications in the marketplace. Bakkafrost employees are well-trained and fully aware of issues impacting food quality, food safety, and environmental integrity. This focus is fully integrated with our processing procedures and daily operations.
At Bakkafrost, we continually strive to enhance quality management, ensuring not only the best possible quality but also a consistency of quality that is respected and appreciated worldwide. Our Quality Control Department continuously analyses our fresh, raw material, taking routine samples from production, processing, and from our finished products.
Quality is Fulcrum
No compromises on quality – Bakkafrost controls every aspect of the product - from making the feed to the raising the roe and smolt, to the final transportation to market. Bakkafrost Salmon have been given the time to grow slowly and steadily in the clean, cold waters surrounding the Faroe Islands. They have only been fed the best quality fishmeal, rich on marine ingredient, ensuring a quality second to none. Consumers can enjoy a safe and uniquely delicious tasting food that is nutritious and very healthy. That’s why we say that Bakkafrost Salmon is probably the best salmon in the world.