Ship, ship, hooray! Salmon farmer celebrates five years of low-CO2 exports
Salmon now has better quality and shelf life than when it was flown to market, says Hiddenfjord
Faroese salmon farmer Hiddenfjord is today celebrating the fifth anniversary of ending the use of air freight for its fish.
“At Hiddenfjord, we felt a moral obligation to reduce our CO2 emissions,” says chief executive Atli Gregersen.
“Most of the emissions in salmon farming and distribution come from air transport. For us, it was crystal clear that the right thing to do was to stop transporting by air entirely. This pressure we placed on ourselves has driven us to produce an even better product with improved quality and shelf life.”
Bob Geldof
Gregersen credits part of the inspiration to musician and activist Bob Geldof, who spoke about climate change at an event in the Faroe Islands in September 2019.
“Geldof challenged us to move beyond endless contemplation and take a clear stand,” the CEO recalls. “He said that once a decision is made, it becomes much easier to focus on implementation. That’s when we moved from thought to action.”
Geldof challenged us to take a clear stand. He said that once a decision is made, it becomes much easier to focus on implementation. That’s when we moved from thought to action.
By switching from air to sea freight for the United States market, Hiddenfjord’s emissions per kilo of gutted salmon (including packaging) dropped from 7.1 kg CO2 to just 0.35 kg CO2 - a dramatic reduction that has been maintained ever since.
The company also stopped shipping fresh salmon to Asia and other distant markets, where air freight is the only viable option. “Even though these markets often pay premium prices we believe the environmental price is far too high,” says Gregersen.
Other green measures
Hiddenfjord has complemented its decision to end air freighting with other sustainability measures, including more sustainable feed and solar panels on company buildings. These initiatives have reduced total production emissions from 5.1 kg CO2 to 3.5 kg CO2 per kilo of salmon.
Overall, Hiddenfjord’s carbon footprint for salmon sold to the US has fallen by more than two thirds from 12.2 kg CO2 in 2020 to 3.85 kg CO2 in 2025.
The major challenge when eliminating air freight was how to deliver top-quality fresh salmon to markets previously served only by plane. US customers - including high-end restaurants - needed to be convinced that Hiddenfjord salmon shipped by sea could match customers’ expectations and demand.
The company invested heavily in improving harvesting, handling, cleaning, and temperature control, ensuring that the salmon maintained its freshness throughout the longer journey.
Optimised the process
“We optimised every step, from harvest to packaging and transport,” says Gregersen. “Today, our salmon actually has better quality and shelf life than when it was flown to market five years ago.”
Working closely with logistics partners, Hiddenfjord ensured an unbroken cold chain from the Faroe Islands to US restaurants - something that wasn’t possible with air transport.
“The quality is absolutely fantastic. Exceptional,” says Robert Amar, owner of Small World Seafood in Philadelphia. “I’ve handled salmon from all over the world, and my customers love Hiddenfjord salmon.”
The share of Hiddenfjord’s total production shipped to the US has grown to 40%, and the company has become a recognised premium brand, it says.
The improvements in quality and shelf life have also strengthened Hiddenfjord’s position in European markets, where it says demand, prices, and customer satisfaction have grown significantly.
Advanced freezing
After losing access to Asian markets when air freight ended, Hiddenfjord has continuously worked to develop a sustainable alternative. The company has invested heavily in advanced freezing and thawing processes to ensure the same texture and flavour as fresh salmon.
“Now that we can guarantee world-class thawed salmon with minimal CO2 emissions, we can once again serve distant markets. But this time, sustainably,” says Gregersen.
