Salmon Producers Integrate Poultry Ingredients Into Feed
Major seafood suppliers are using chicken byproducts in salmon feed to address limited marine raw materials.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Organic Food
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European salmon suppliers are increasingly incorporating poultry-derived ingredients into their fish feed, a practice that gained momentum as of July 2026. This shift aims to reduce carbon footprints and improve environmental sustainability amidst the limited availability of traditional marine materials.
Why it matters
The change reflects an industry-wide effort to manage resource scarcity and environmental impacts. While suppliers promote sustainability, the use of chicken byproducts highlights the evolving nature of global aquaculture nutrition.
Producers are utilizing meal and oil derived from chicken parts that are not consumed by humans. All fish feed used in the UK is strictly controlled and licensed by the Food Standards Agency.
The players
SalMar
This Norway-based company is recognized as the second-largest salmon producer in the world.
Food Standards Agency
This UK government body is responsible for licensing and controlling all fish feed distributed in the country.
Lerøy Seafood Group
This seafood supplier based in Norway has begun incorporating poultry-derived ingredients into its salmon feed production.
Sainsbury's
This UK supermarket chain maintains a policy prohibiting the use of poultry-derived ingredients in its own-label salmon feed.
Waitrose
This UK retailer currently enforces a strict policy against using poultry-derived ingredients in the salmon feed for its own-label products.
The details
Companies like Lerøy Seafood Group, Grieg Seafood, and SalMar have transitioned to these poultry-based ingredients to bypass supply constraints. Although this is becoming common, UK retailers such as Waitrose and Sainsbury's maintain specific prohibitions against these ingredients in their own-label salmon products.
Timeline
SalMar began testing poultry-based feed in March 2026.
Grieg Seafood introduced chicken meal into its fish feed in July 2026.
Culture Shift
The integration of poultry byproducts marks a significant shift away from traditional marine-based aquaculture models. This transition follows a pattern set by the industry's ongoing efforts to adopt alternative protein feed sources as a way to reduce dependency on wild-caught fish.
Consumers in the UK may notice that their purchasing decisions are influenced by retailer-specific policies, as some supermarkets explicitly ban poultry-derived feed ingredients. Because retailers are not required to list feed ingredients on packaging, shoppers should check individual retailer labeling policies to understand how their food is sourced.
The takeaway
While industry suppliers increasingly rely on poultry byproducts for environmental sustainability, the practice remains subject to individual retailer standards. Consumers who prefer to avoid fish raised on poultry-based feed should consult their preferred grocery stores regarding specific sourcing policies.
Further reading
For broader context on aquaculture standards, visit the Organic Food section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Independent.
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