US state bans octopus farming as European innovator launches vegan alternative

19 Mar 2024 --- The US state of Washington has outlawed octopus farming in what is the first law of its kind in the world. Meanwhile, Austrian start-up Revo Foods has unveiled the world’s first plant-based alternative to octopus tentacles, which is made from fungi-protein — also known as mycoprotein. 

The Governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, signed the bill into law on March 13 after sustained advocacy efforts from several NGOs, who warned that octopuses could never be farmed ethically or sustainably. Similar bills have been introduced in California and Hawaii.

“Octopuses are a highly intelligent and solitary species that should never be subjected to factory farming. We hope this first-of-its-kind legislation sets a precedent for the rest of the world in showing that farming octopuses is unacceptable,” Allison Molinaro, US campaigns manager at Compassion in World Farming, tells Food Ingredients First.

Animal protection groups see plant-based alternatives as one solution to the growing global demand for octopus meat. In Europe, Spanish seafood company Nueva Pescanova plans to open the world’s first industrial octopus farm in the Canary Islands, but it must first undergo an environmental impact assessment.

“Plant-based alternatives offer a way to eliminate animal suffering and reduce ecological harms without sacrificing taste, traditional cuisines and culture,” says Molinaro.

Revo Foods claims to have achieved an appealing appearance and authentic smell, taste and texture with “The Kraken” alternative. The product, which is available online in most European countries, also boasts high protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acid content and scores “A” with Nutriscore.

Appetite for alternatives
The start-up decided to launch a limited edition version of The Kraken after raising more than €1.1 million (∼US$1.2 million) in its first crowd investment campaign. According to Dr. Robin Simsa, Revo Foods’ CEO, the product is most likely to appeal to vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian consumers.

We recently talked to Revo Foods' CEO Robin Simsa about the company's plant-based octopus tentacle innovation.“Octopus is quite niche, and the market demand is not as high as for salmon or tuna. It’s mainly sold in countries like Italy, Spain and Greece and traditional channels like tavernas, which makes it challenging. But, what makes it interesting is that our product is unique — an alternative like this doesn’t exist yet,” he tells Food Ingredients First.

“Bans on octopus farming help us in a certain way. But, I’m not sure if they would drive market demand because people who like to eat octopus might not perceive our octopus as a good alternative — they only want the real thing.”

Generational trends driving consumers toward plant-based diets are likely to inspire demand for octopus alternatives, says Simsa, who urges policymakers to support alt-protein innovators for environmental gains.

“I don’t understand why the value-added tax — at least in most European countries — is lower for animal products than for plant-based products. Why does the taxpayer need to subsidize animal products when the EU Green Deal suggests they want to cut back on emissions and environmental damage,” he says.

“Animal agriculture is a huge factor in rising emissions, but it appears no politician wants to touch this hot potato because it’s quite unpopular — in Austria, the right-wing party wants to forbid naming any type of plant-based product as sausage or burger or something like this.”

“How does this align with wanting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?”

Ecological concerns
According to the Aquatic Life Institute, there are no approved humane slaughter methods for octopuses, and their carnivorous diet makes farming them unsustainable and damaging to the environment.

Nitrogen and phosphorus waste would be a product of octopus farms, as would contamination from fertilizers, algaecides, herbicides and disinfectants. It is also possible that diseases would spread from farms to the wild environment.Revo Foods expects vegan and vegetarian consumers to drive demand for plant-based octopus alternatives.

Moreover, scientists have raised concerns about the practice of octopus farming, all of which are related to the fact that these animals are not suited to large-scale farming practices, especially their inability to be kept in extreme confinement.

“Aquatic Life Institute applauds Governor Inslee’s leadership on this critically important issue of environment and animal welfare. Washington State is laying the path to a more sustainable and humane future,” says Sophika Kostyniuk, managing director at the Aquatic Life Institute.

Documentaries like “My Octopus Teacher” on Netflix have created more understanding, interest and empathy for these social animals with three hearts and nine brains.

Health kicks
The Kraken’s main ingredient, mycoprotein, is described as sustainable and nutrient-rich. It requires significantly less processing compared to common raw ingredients in plant-based products, preserving more micronutrients and vitamins.

The octopus alternative is ready to eat but can also be heated (grilled, fried or baked).

“With a little bit of creativity and technological know-how — and an obsession for seafood, anything is possible. If we continue like this, we can soon offer an entire plant-based seafood paella,” says Simsa.

According to official statistics, the EU consumes more than 200,000 tons of octopus every year.

By Joshua Poole, with additional reporting from Insha Naureen