Pulmuone, BlueNalu team up for cell-cultured seafood

South Korean food company Pulmuone revealed plans on Thursday to boost its strategic partnership with US-based seafood startup BlueNalu, focusing on the burgeoning cell-cultured seafood sector in South Korea.

The enhanced collaboration between the two firms builds on a previous agreement from August 2019, which underscored their shared vision for a sustainable food future. Since then, they've cooperated on bringing innovative seafood products, developed from fish cell cultivation, to the South Korean market.

San Diego-based BlueNalu, established in 2018, specializes in producing seafood through cell culture techniques. The company has developed production methodologies for various fish species, notably tuna, and is on the brink of attaining commercial certification within the US.

This renewed commitment from both entities will see deeper cooperation in market research, navigating regulatory landscapes for cell-cultured seafood sales, and strategizing its launch and distribution in Korea.

"Cell-cultured seafood presents a groundbreaking approach to mitigating global seafood shortages and environmental impacts from traditional fishing methods," said Lee Sang-Yoon, Chief of Pulmuone Institute of Technology.

"With this partnership, Pulmuone aims to fortify its vanguard position in the sustainable food tech arena and anticipates the launch of pioneering cell-cultured seafood products in the foreseeable future." 

BlueNalu's CEO Lou Cooperhouse expressed enthusiasm about the enhanced partnership with Pulmuone, emphasizing a mutual ambition for a sustainable fishing future. "Our collective efforts aim to offer consumers a healthier and safer seafood alternative, paving the way for the broader acceptance of cell-cultured seafood."

Write to Ji-Yoon Yang at yang@hankyung.com