Regal Springs launches new sustainability program, premium tilapia line

Regal Springs North America announced the launch of a new “Naturally Better Tilapia" line of products on 5 March, alongside a new sustainability initiative the company has dubbed Regal Springs "WE CARE."

The two announcements coincide with each other, with the WE CARE program’s first phase being devoted to consistently producing the Naturally Better Tilapia products, regardless of country of origin, across the company’s operations. The new product range took nearly two years to develop, and the new WE CARE program represents an investment of USD 3 million (EUR 2.6 million), according to the company. 

“A terrific amount of work has been going on in the background, from recruiting new experts and managers, to developing our vision about what standards we will maintain across all our global operations to deliver our new Naturally Better Tilapia,” Regal Springs North America Executive Vice President Dennis Roberts said in a release.

The new products are produced with high sustainability bona fides and traceability standards. Naturally Better Tilapia uses responsibly-sourced feed with less than five percent fishmeal content, no antibiotics, no additives, no chemicals to artificially increases the weight of the fish, lower stocking densities, and high water quality, the company said. According to Regal Springs, the focus on sustainability and a higher-end product has resulted in better flavor and texture. 

“We have been extensively gathering consumer responses for our Naturally Better Tilapia and whatever part of the nation the consumer has come from, the product consistently scores on superiority for taste and texture,” Keith Kandt, marketing director for Regal Springs North America, said. “We are very excited about the eating quality of Regal Springs Naturally Better Tilapia. We can say with real confidence that it can be used with any cooking method because it has an extraordinary firm and succulent texture that very few fish have.”  

The WE CARE program is intended to maintain the quality of the product across all of Regal Springs’ production facilities. 

“Regal Springs' WE CARE program is now embedded within all country production sites and has an annual set of environmental and social targets for all operations from egg to plate that the business is programmed to achieve by 2023,” Regal Springs said. “The aim for Regal Springs' WE CARE [program] is to ensure that the business keeps its Naturally Better Tilapia at the forefront of being the highest quality and most sustainably produced tilapia available in the world.”

The origin of the WE CARE program’s name comes from the company’s motivations to create it: "Caring for the environment, the communities that support the company’s facilities, and Regal Springs’ drive to create a better product," according to the company.

Regal Springs’ Naturally Better Tilapia is now available in stores, and is produced in facilities based in freshwater lakes in Mexico, Honduras, and Indonesia. 

The company will be offering samples of its new line of tilapia at Seafood Expo North America, taking place 17 to 19 March in Boston, Massachusetts. The company will be located at Booth #621.

Photo courtesy of Regal Springs