Royal Greenland launches Nutaaq cod – a new concept from catch to plate

Diners can now enjoy fresher, brighter and tastier cod thanks to a new product from Royal Greenland.

The North Atlantic seafood champion has launched Nutaaq cod – which takes less than two hours to travel from water to freezer.

Nutaaq, which means new in Greenlandic, combines traditional fishing methods with a pioneering processing system to deliver unrivalled quality.

The final product is moist and juicy with an extraordinarily fresh taste, making it perfect for chefs and caterers to transform into mouth-watering dishes.

Niels Wann, Product Manager at Royal Greenland, said: “Cod from Greenland has naturally very white meat and a deliciously delicate flavour, thanks to the cold, clean environment in which it lives.

“The quality of any seafood product depends on two things: the origin and habitat of the fish, and gentle and rapid processing from sea to table. Nutaaq cod takes this one step further.”

Fishing for Nutaaq cod happens only a few months each year, from April to October when mature cod leave the open sea and enter shallow waters along the Greenlandic coast.

Local fisherman working in collaboration with Royal Greenland place net traps next to rocky outcrops to catch the fish in a traditional and low-impact fishing method that is size and species selective and environmentally friendly.

The fish are sorted on Royal Greenland’s well-boat, with undersized cod put back in the sea to preserve future stocks, and the remainder transported in fresh, circulated sea-water below deck, to the factory.

The fish’s welfare is of paramount importance throughout the process. This includes being kept in as natural an environment as possible, to ensuring their journey from sea to factory is short.

At the factory, the cod are kept in a stress-free environment in sea-water pools. They always remain overnight in these conditions to ensure they are calm when processed, to benefit both the fish and the meat quality.

The swift process gives uniform quality and guarantees that there is no blood spotting in the fillets. Each fillet is trimmed to perfection by hand and carefully evaluated before it is graded Nutaaq.

Niels Wann added: “The extraordinarily rapid and careful processing is the main reason for the outstanding quality of Nutaaq cod fillets. The cod fillet enters the freezer a maximum two hours after the live cod left the water.

“The flesh is brighter – almost translucent white and perfectly lean due to the stringent quality control and hand trimming. Whilst the fast processing ensures natural flavour and moisture is locked in to create a tastier fillet.

“Cod is one of the most popular fish dishes in the world and we are delighted to be able to help chefs deliver a product which raises the bar in excellence and taste.”

Royal Greenland’s Nutaaq Cod is available in a range of fillet weights and pack sizes. Visit www.royalgreenland.com for more information.