GM salmon farmer announces new benchmark and also appoints former Bumble Bee Foods senior as new Chief Commercial Officer.
In a press release on Tuesday, AquaBounty wrote that it has begun commercial production at its Indiana facility in the United States. Furthermore, it has appointed David F. Melbourne Jr as Chief Commercial Officer.
The company plans to have its salmon on the market as early as next year.
AquaBounty CEO Sylvia Wulf stated: “With the first shipment of AquAdvantage Salmon eggs received at our Indiana facility last week, we have begun commercial production in the United States, a world’s first. Having David join the Company now is perfect timing, as we anticipate the first harvest from the Albany farm in the autumn of 2020. We are focused on successfully commercializing AquAdvantage Salmon and bringing its many benefits to consumers.”
Melbourne joins AquaBounty from Bumble Bee Foods, the largest branded seafood company in North America, where he was Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing, Government & Industry Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility. He previously held senior positions at Castleberry/Snow’s Brands, primarily in operations and marketing. “As the Company begins its commercialization of AquAdvantage Salmon, Mr Melbourne’s 25 years of marketing and strategic planning experience will be a strong asset to AquaBounty in developing its customer business model,” wrote AquaBounty. Melbourne, Jr. will start on June 17, 2019.
Melbourne, Jr. wrote: “I am thrilled to join AquaBounty now as it begins the next stage of its development and I look forward to introducing the climate-smart and environmentally sustainable AquAdvantage Salmon to consumers.”
AquAdvantage Salmon are bioengineered to grow to market size in about half the time of a traditional farmed Atlantic salmon. “It significantly improves the economics of producing salmon in land-based contained facilities,” the company claims.