Food tech start-up Aqua Cultured Foods has begun buildout of a new facility in Chicago’s West Loop to begin scaling production of its whole-cut seafood alternatives.

The new facility, said to be nearly triple the size of its current headquarters, will need minimal upgrades to customise it to scale up manufacturing of the company’s fermentation-enabled protein. Aqua’s methods use standard equipment, allowing for rapid and affordable buildout.

Anne Palermo, CEO of Aqua, said: “This move is the final step on the road to commercialisation of our alt-seafood, and it’s what we and our supporters have been waiting for”.

She continued: “Since the new location already meets all the key regulations for food production, we can scale manufacturing quickly, and product introductions with our go-to-market partners will follow”.

Aqua is developing “ultra-realistic” imitation calamari, shrimp, scallops and fish fillets using mycoprotein fermentation processes that do not use any animal inputs, genetic altering or modification. Unlike some plant-based alternatives made with starches and protein isolates, Aqua’s alt-seafood retains its naturally occurring fibre, protein and other micronutrients.

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