10 years of First Seafood

By Celina Tran | Photos: First Seafood

Norwegian seafood has long been celebrated for its quality, but few companies embody the spirit of innovation, sustainability, and passion like First Seafood. With its roots firmly planted in Norway’s coastal hubs, this thriving enterprise is using high-end technology to deliver fresh seafood to markets worldwide, one perfect fillet at a time.

First Seafood is more than just another fish in the sea, it’s a powerhouse redefining the seafood industry, hook, line, and sinker. From humble beginnings with just three employees, this company based in Oslo, Bergen and Ålesund now operates three state-of-the-art factories and employs over 200 people. As it marks its 10th anniversary, the team is proudly scaling up operations and reeling in innovation, sustainability, and global growth.

First Seafood’s core offering is simple yet universally craved: salmon fillets for industry clients and specialised whitefish products. These high-quality goods form the backbone of millions of meals each week.

10 years of First Seafood

From small fry to big catch

First Seafood’s beginnings were humble, starting a decade ago with founder Andreas Sundnes buying and selling simple white fish and crustaceans on the Norwegian market. For years, the company remained small and local, but the tides turned in 2020 when a disused fishcake production facility in Kongsvinger caught his eye. Sundnes saw more than an abandoned building, he saw potential.

“Andreas called and told me about his idea, and soon enough we secured financing. The old factory was transformed into a cutting-edge factory, anchoring our value chain and laying the groundwork for our journey,” says Roy Olsen, commercial director at First Seafood.

The company has grown from serving 50 customers with a heavy reliance on one big account, to boasting 350 clients worldwide. No single customer accounts for more than 5 per cent of the volume, which spans across Europe, the US, and Asia.

“We’re proud of our rapid and intense growth,” says Olsen. “We’ve gone from four or five employees in 2022 to 200 today, and our expansion has allowed us to open another two factories, one in Bergen, Norway and recently in Hvide Sande, Denmark. First Seafood has also 25 per cent ownership in the whitefish producer Waterline in Ålesund, Norway.”

First Seafood’s vision is as bold as its growth trajectory. From 18,000 tons of production today, the company aims to double the output to 30,000 tons in just four years. With revenues skyrocketing from 220 million NOK in 2021 to an expected 1.6 billion NOK this year, the company is scaling faster than tuna on steroids. The global footprint extends to markets as diverse as Cape Town, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Johannesburg, proving that Norwegian seafood knows no borders.

Roy Olsen.

Where tech meets the tide

According to Olsen, the company owes much of its success to its precision, high level of technology, and dedicated, competent and hardworking teams. In the Bergen facility, First Seafood employs groundbreaking AI-based analytics technology. This cutting-edge equipment doesn’t just process fish – it learns. As fillets pass through a 360-degree scanner, AI identifies and corrects errors in real-time, ensuring unparalleled quality and efficiency. “This has allowed us to reduce waste by eliminating subjectivity from the process, but also boost 40 per cent in productivity and output,” says Olsen. “As we produce more, the technology continues to train itself, which in turn encourages an even higher yield of production, less waste, and significant edge in global competition.”

Sustainability is crucial to the business. “Our factories consume 25 per cent less water and 18-19 per cent less energy compared to standard facilities, making each production cycle as eco-friendly as it is efficient,” Olsen continues. “Even the materials used in our equipment have been chosen with sustainability in mind.”

While sustainability and the want to reduce waste is one of the top priorities, technology also serves a different purpose. “Norwegian salmon is of course a highly sought-after product, but we want to make sure that every filet that leaves the factory is perfect. It’s about how we adapt it to fit our clients’ specific needs, whether it’s dimensions, quality, or preparation for supermarkets or smokehouses,” he adds.

As First Seafood sets sail into its second decade, it is clear that the company is not just riding the waves, it is making them. Whether through AI-driven processing, sustainable practices, or rapid global expansion, this company is proving that with the right vision, even a small catch can become a big deal.

10 years of First Seafood