Ocean 14 Capital Fund invests in Brazilian tilapia producer

Funding injection will help finance leading Brazilian tilapia producer’s growth plan

The Ocean 14 Capital fund has announced an investment of over €10 million (U.S. $9.7 million) in Tilabras, a leading Brazilian tilapia producer. The investment will finance the entirety of Tilabras’ growth plan, which involves expanding production, increasing employment and continuing the vertical integration of the group to a new processing plant and hatchery.

“Ocean 14 Capital’s expertise, knowledge and the fund’s ability to execute will help us enhance growth while improving resource efficiency,” said Nicolas Landolt, founder of Tilabras. “The period ahead of us is one of great expansion and development, and we must do so with an ever-stronger commitment to sustainability. We are looking forward to building our hatchery and breeding operations, as well as the expansion of our farming and processing plants.”

Tilabras responsibly farms tilapia, offering a low-impact alternative to other forms of wild-caught marine white fish. A family-owned company, it has developed a “planet-friendly model” for farming tilapia by focusing on its local impact and sustainable feeds. Globally, millions of tons of fish are caught in the wild every year to produce fishmeal and fish oil to feed fish in aquafarms. Tilabras’ location and production model allow the fish to be fed on a fully sustainable, vegan diet while minimizing the carbon footprint.

“Our partnership with Tilabras focuses on enabling this transition to large-scale, low-impact fish farming, harnessing the best of modern technology,” said Chris Gorell Barnes, founding partner of  Ocean 14 Capital. “Tilapia is set to grow to a $9.2 billion industry by 2027 – it really is the future in terms of how we can feed the world.”

The Ocean 14 Capital fund focuses primarily on investing in growth-stage businesses. First launched in December of 2021, the Ocean 14 Capital impact investment fund has already made three investments this year: SyAqua, a shrimp breeding technology specialist; AION, a Norwegian plastic management platform that uses proprietary technology to offer ‘Circularity As A Service’ to large-scale industries; and MITO, a clam hatchery and breeding Italian company. Approximately two-thirds of the fund will go to companies based in Europe, with the remainder aimed to be used to invest in the rest of the world.

“Life on earth depends on functioning oceans – they are the lifeblood of our planet,” said Barnes. “As the global population continues to grow, demand for animal protein will continue to increase. Wild fish catches have been stagnant for nearly 20 years, despite huge growth in fishing efforts and technology. So the only way demand for fish can be met without stripping the seas is to scale sustainable aquaculture production methods.”

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