Regal Springs Europe: bringing tilapia fish to the UK

As people worldwide search for sustainable alternatives to land-farmed foods, responsibly reared fish products are becoming increasingly popular.

In many parts of Africa, Asia, the USA and Europe, one particular fish breed is giving tuna, salmon and cod a run for its money: tilapia.

Tilapia is a resilient, freshwater white fish that’s highly suitable for affordable, eco-conscious aquaculture — able to thrive off a plant-based diet with minimal impact on surrounding marine environments. As a result, tilapia is the second most farmed fish in the world.

Regal Springs has dedicated all its efforts to farming these versatile and nutritious fish — investing in the latest genetics technology to grow high-quality spawn into fingerlings at our hatcheries and then deliver healthy adults to our freshwater lakes, all with the support of the Blue Food Partnership.

Our current goal? To make high-quality tilapia the first-choice fish in the UK, where more people are beginning to discover its benefits.

Redefining tilapia fish

People have eaten tilapia for millennia, with Egyptian tomb illustrations suggesting Nile tilapia were cultured over 3,000 years ago.

Tilapia is even thought to be the biblical fish caught by St Peter in the Sea of Galilee and fed to the masses of Tabgha by Jesus. This story has earned it the nickname ‘St Peter’s fish’ and contributed to its widespread religious and cultural significance.

Today, tilapia remains a key ingredient in many countries due to its social acceptance and versatility. It’s already known and appreciated by many cultures across Africa, Asia and the US, and it’s becoming increasingly customary in many culinary cultures gaining popularity in Europe.

This fast-growing fish is low in fat, mild in flavour and cheaper than many other popular breeds — characteristics that have led to tilapia being consistently ranked number four on the National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI’s) top 10 list of the most consumed seafood species in the US.

Plus, it freezes well, defrosts well and provides an affordable source of protein, helping further drive consumer and retailer demand.

And yet, according to our research, only 37% of UK consumers have ever eaten tilapia. So, why aren’t more Brits giving these tasty, sustainable white fish a try?

If you’ve never heard of tilapia, it’s probably because there are many misconceptions about this ancient fish’s health and quality.

Some people think tilapia are ‘dirty’, feeding only on algae and human waste, whilst others believe they’re full of mercury and toxic chemicals. There are even rumours that tilapia are ‘man-made’— the result of genetic engineering, not nature.

Fortunately, established tilapia producers are disproving these claims.

Although some low-quality varieties have infiltrated the European market from China, the world’s largest tilapia producer, several reputable tilapia products are now available — including those from our own ‘naturally better tilapia’ brand…

Capturing new markets

Regal Springs opened its first fish farm over 30 years ago in the beautiful freshwater lakes of Java, Indonesia.

Since then, we’ve established more aquaculture centres in Honduras and Mexico, from where we deliver our premium fresh and frozen tilapia fillets and loins to well-known food retailers all over the world.

Our research suggests that consumers are looking for fish that lives up to expectations for taste, convenience, quality, sustainability and price (in that order), and we’re proud to say our premium tilapia can fit the bill.

Regal Springs tilapia are raised in meticulously monitored lakes of the highest water quality, animal welfare and ecological standards. They swim against currents as they would in the wild, building a healthy body mass for a sweet, clean flavour and hearty texture.

As a result, our fish products are free from artificial contaminants and have been awarded two stars for superior taste by the International Taste Institute following an 89% recommendation score from 300 chefs.

What’s more, not only are our white fish a delicious meat alternative, rich in crucial nutrients and incredibly easy to prepare, but they’re also an excellent choice for sustainable value chain development. Responsible aquaculture producers can meet the call for ‘conscious consumption’, ensuring complete transparency — from lake to plate — and combating overfishing with controlled farming methods.

The Regal Springs team has worked hard to ensure our global customers can enjoy tilapia fish as part of a balanced diet. And now, we’re expanding our UK foothold to bring our products to new consumers — for the good of people and the planet.

We trade with food giants like Costco and Morrisons to put our sustainably farmed tilapia on shelves — and we’re only just getting started…

Championing ‘blue foods’ in the UK

As a pioneer of the ‘blue food movement’ — the global trend towards ‘blue foods’ like fish, shellfish and algae — we’re passionate about raising awareness of tilapia in the UK.

We firmly believe we can make an impact on this market, with 72% of UK-based survey respondents considering Regal Springs tilapia as an ‘attractive’ or ‘very attractive’ choice after learning about our farming methods, price positioning and tilapia’s many health benefits.

So far, our UK market launches have been a huge success, with high demand for our premium tilapia products across Costco’s stores.

‘I’ve been buying tilapia from Costco for years’, said one of our loyal customers. ‘It’s a staple ingredient within our household as it’s super versatile, easy to cook and has all the right vitamins for a healthy diet. We usually buy a bag of eight loins and keep it in the freezer!’

Still, Regal Springs’ mission is to make tilapia as popular in the UK and Europe as it is across the pond. To this end, we’re forming new partnerships with established retailers to allow more customers to reap the benefits of this first-class fish.

We’re thrilled that tilapia is getting the kudos it deserves, with more health-conscious consumers in the UK and beyond turning to this white fish as the base for nutritious, satisfying meals.

Billions of people rely on seafood for almost 20% of their animal protein, and 10–12% of the global population depend on fish for their livelihoods. So, we’re going to great lengths to ensure we’re scaling our operations responsibly and enabling new customers to discover the culinary world of tilapia.

We’re excited to see what the future holds for tilapia fish in the European market. For more information about Regal Springs in the UK, contact us at eusales@regalsprings.com.