Regal Springs Europe GmbH

We are proud to receive the Compassion in World Farming’s (CIWF) Aquaculture Innovation Award! 👏😃 "After three years of research and testing, the Zurich, Switzerland-headquartered company, which produces tilapia in Honduras, Mexico, and Indonesia, has implemented electrical stunning technology that has improved the welfare of 20 million tilapia to date. The stunner, which was produced in collaboration with Ace Aquatec, the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA), Nautilus Collaboration, and the Centre for Responsible Seafood (TCRS), humanely stuns fish before harvest, reducing the stress the animals experience." Please read the article for more information.

At Regal Springs, sustainability and social responsibility are at the core of everything we do. With our global commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, we are actively committed to protecting the environment and communities. Our efforts range from innovative aquaculture and the promotion of a circular economy to partnerships with leading universities and initiatives to combat malnutrition. Regal Springs is actively committed to protecting the environment and supporting local communities in Indonesia. Together with partners such as the Naga Kisar Village Water User Farmers Association, the Food Safety Department and the Samosir Agricultural Service, we have made an important contribution to the communities around Lake Toba.  By donating 10 machines for shredding water hyacinths and removing waste from the water channels, we were able to restore the flow of water to an area of 50 hectares. More than 500 people now have better access to water for daily use and to irrigate their fields. Why is this important?   The water hyacinth is an invasive plant that causes problems worldwide. In Indonesian lakes, it forms dense masses that not only make it difficult for fishermen to move around, but also reduce the oxygen content in the water and thus impair aquatic life. It also blocks the water supply to irrigation channels, which are crucial for the cultivation of rice and other crops securing the livelihoods of the rural population.  With this step, we are not only supporting the ecological health of Lake Toba, but also the communities that rely on its ecosystem benefits. This initiative supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 6.6, which stipulates the protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems such as lakes and rivers. 

Team Regal Springs on tour - last week at the Harbour.Club for the Caterer of the Year award, organized by the industry magazine Cooking + Catering Inside. More than 150 guests from all over Germany, good conversations and fantastic food: All in all a perfect evening. In addition to the nominees in the categories “Awakening”, “Culinary” and “Appreciation”, our star was of course the #naturallybettertilapia, which was served as a tartar during the welcome. Yummy!

On 12th September, we contributed our fish from Toba Lake in North-Sumatra to the diplomatic reception for the 79th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia at the ambassador's residence in Wassenaar. Among the 1,000 guests were high-ranking representatives of the Dutch government, diplomatic circles and companies from the trade and investment sectors. We are especially proud that the restaurant ‘Nona Manis’ prepared a dish from the Toba region featuring Regal Springs fish at the reception. A great example of the combination of tradition and sustainable aquaculture.

We are thrilled to announce that Regal Springs has won the prestigious Innovation in Aquaculture Award at the 2024 Compassion in Food Business Awards, held on October 21st. This incredible achievement highlights our unwavering commitment to fish welfare across every stage of our farming process. “This is a critical milestone for Regal Springs! Fish welfare is our priority at all stages of the farming process. After 3 years of hard R&D work, we are pleased to receive this award to recognize the hard work of our teams and inspire other fish farmers!” – Regal Springs We are deeply honored by this recognition, which celebrates the dedication and innovation of our teams. This award is a testament to our ongoing efforts to drive positive change in aquaculture and inspire the industry to prioritize the well-being of fish.

Weeks ago our Remco de Waard travelled with Steven Tilston from our UK partner Maris Seafoods Ltd to Indonesia together with Paul Whiteley and Stefanie Powick from Greene King to visit one of our tilapia farms. How are our fish reared? How are they fed and then prepared for their journey around the world? It's always thrilling to take a look behind the scenes. #naturallybettertilapia

Zero waste and the high value of fish by products are topics that have been on the mind of our European Managing Director Petra Weigl for a long time. This year, Regal Springs founded the ‘Natural Additions’ division, which focuses on the utilisation of fish by-products and thus perfectly complements the company's goal of producing high-quality #tilapia. "We want to utilise 100% of our tilapia by 2030," says Petra. Today Petra is speaking at the "5th Fish Waste for Profit Conference“ in Reykjavik on the topic of #zerowaste. The theme of the conference is ‘Transforming the Blue Economy into 100% green’.

Visiting the MSC/ASC information day at the Wälderhaus Hamburg. Exciting presentations on seafood supply chains by Stefan Meyer, an update on the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) programme by Dennis Wittmann and insights into European sea bass and sea bream farming by Cecile Baulard were our highlights of the information day. Thank you Dennis Wittmann for the invitation!

(3/9) Raw fish, a little salt & plenty of lime juice. The basic recipe for ceviche is extremely simple and definitely deserves a spot in our REGAL SPRINGS MASTERCLASS 🐟 . Even though every fish is suitable for marinating, we recommend less fatty fish. Adding acidic liquids such as lime juice kicks off the cooking process. Please note: Prepare fresh and eat immediately so that the proteins are not fully „cooked“ and the fish will not turn dry. Our tilapia is also a good choice for the catering and restaurant trade, says Marcel Görke, Restaurant Heimatjuwel, Hamburg: "Regal Springs tilapia is very easy to work with as it has a firm texture. It is particularly suitable for tartare or ceviche." (4/9) Asking yourself about the ideal way to cook a whole fish? We love the barbecue method! The high heat causes the proteins on the surface to coagulate quickly, forming a crust that keeps the fish tender and juicy on the inside.   (5/9) Frozen fish has numerous advantages: longer shelf life, less waste, freshness & quality. But have you ever wondered about the proper defrosting process? Unlike the freezing process, defrosting should be done slowly and in the fridge overnight so as not to destroy the muscle structures too much. It may take longer, but it pays off in terms of quality – promised!

Whole books can be written on the subject of fish preparation & techniques - and this is more or less exactly what we have done together with chef Martin Schreiner from the Guerillachefs. How can you recognise fresh fish? What characterises a delicious stock & what is important when frying fish? All this is recorded in our REGAL SPRINGS MASTERCLASS – nine valuable tips from the class will be presented to you here. 🐟 (1/9) We are starting off with fish stock - also known as ‘fumet de poisson’ in French cuisine. Stock is easy & simple to make and is a wonderful flavour enhancer. Our tip: Only use fresh fish. The best fish bones are from white and mild fish, like our tilapia. Try to avoid bones from very fatty or intensely flavoured fish such as salmon, trout or mackerel.   (2/9) Saskia van Deelen, food blogger at ‘Dee's Küche’ and cookbook author, knows just how versatile tilapia is for cooking and catering: "The flesh of the Regal Springs tilapia has a mild, slightly sweet flavour. It is very robust in preparation and does not fall apart during cooking. Nevertheless, the meat has a soft consistency and can be steamed, roasted, boiled or grilled. The preparation methods are also totally varied: whether baked in the oven with a herb crust, as a fish curry or simply made into fish fingers – tilapia is always a great choice for me."  Did you know that frying in a pan is one of the most common preparation methods. The fish should not weigh more thant 500 grams and be fried as briefly and on point as possible so that the meat does not dry out unnecessarily.  Thinner fillets can continue to be cooked in the pan after initial browning. For a thicker fish fillet, we recommend finishing the cooking process in the oven. 🐟