VAN HEES and BLUU Seafood partner to create hybrid foods blending spices and cultivated fish

In a move that signals growing momentum for cultivated seafood, German spice and food ingredient specialist, VAN HEES GmbH, has entered a strategic partnership with BLUU Seafood, Europe’s leading food biotech focused on cultivated fish. Together, the two companies aim to develop innovative hybrid products that combine plant-based ingredients with fish cells grown in bioreactors, offering consumers sustainable and delicious alternatives to conventional seafood.

Announced at the start of July 2025, the collaboration merges VAN HEES’ deep expertise in spice technology, functional food ingredients, and product safety with BLUU Seafood’s pioneering cell cultivation technology. The goal is to create next-generation food products that meet rising consumer demand for high-quality, sustainable, and animal-friendly protein options.

“We see great potential in cultivated fish as part of a sustainable protein supply,” commented Robert Becht, Managing Director of the VAN HEES Group. “This collaboration allows us to channel our innovative strength into a forward-looking segment and to actively participate in transforming the food system.”

Founded in 2020 in Lübeck, Germany, BLUU Seafood is the first European company dedicated exclusively to the development and commercial production of fish cultivated from animal cells, without the need for traditional fishing or aquaculture. The company’s cell-based approach aims to deliver real fish meat without harming marine ecosystems or contributing to overfishing. Today, BLUU Seafood operates out of Hamburg and Berlin with a team of around 30 employees representing 13 nationalities.

Dr Sebastian Rakers, Managing Director of BLUU Seafood, echoed the excitement about the partnership’s potential. “Both sides – we at BLUU Seafood as pioneers in fish cell cultivation, and VAN HEES as an established and experienced food company – can only benefit from this partnership. It offers tremendous opportunities for developing delicious and sustainable food products,” he said.

Hybrid products, the focus of the partnership, combine plant-derived components with cultivated animal cells to create foods that closely replicate the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of conventional meat or seafood. Such products are seen as an important step in scaling up the cultivated food sector while helping manage costs and navigate regulatory approvals, which are often more straightforward for hybrid formulations than for products made entirely from cell culture.

VAN HEES brings to the collaboration decades of know-how in enhancing food taste and texture. The company, founded in the late 1940s by Kurt van Hees, has built a reputation in the meat and sausage industries for its spices, spice blends, functional additives, sauces, and marinades. More recently, VAN HEES has expanded into plant-based and vegan applications, developing solutions that cater to modern consumer preferences for clean labels and high-quality flavor experiences.

Beyond spice technology, VAN HEES contributes its expertise in functional ingredients and food safety, working closely with partners like Aromatech in flavor development and drawing on insights from its Food.PreTECT competence center, which specializes in food safety and shelf-life optimization. According to Becht, the company’s contributions will be essential in ensuring that hybrid fish products deliver on taste, stability, and consumer expectations for premium quality.

BLUU Seafood, for its part, supplies the cultivated fish cells that form the backbone of the new products. The company’s proprietary biotech processes allow fish cells to grow in controlled environments, producing genuine fish meat without the environmental and ethical concerns tied to traditional seafood harvesting. The approach also promises to eliminate exposure to ocean-borne contaminants such as heavy metals and microplastics, offering consumers a cleaner, more sustainable choice.

With this alliance, VAN HEES underlines its ambition to be a driving force for innovation in the food industry, shaping markets and contributing to sustainable protein solutions. Meanwhile, BLUU Seafood continues its progress toward commercializing cultivated fish products, a goal that could help reduce pressure on global fish stocks and offer a sustainable alternative to conventional seafood.

“Our mission is to create enjoyable food solutions with an uncompromising commitment to taste, technology, and responsibility,” Becht said.

Both companies see the partnership as an important step toward transforming the global protein supply chain and meeting the demands of environmentally conscious consumers. By combining cultivated fish technology with advanced flavor science, VAN HEES and BLUU Seafood aim to bring to market products that not only align with sustainability goals but also satisfy the culinary expectations of modern diners.