A new industry-backed report examining how shrimp processing waste can be transformed into valuable products has been launched by the Global Shrimp Forum Foundation, marking a further step in the sector’s push towards greater sustainability and efficiency.
Titled “100% Shrimp: Full Utilisation”, the report explores opportunities to make better use of by-products generated during shrimp processing, outlining how residual materials can be converted into inputs for food, feed, nutraceuticals and other applications. The initiative is financed using the financial surplus from the 2024 Global Shrimp Forum.
Authored by long-time Global Shrimp Forum collaborator Melanie Siggs, the report was developed in collaboration with seafood market consultancy Kontali and a small group of technical expert advisers. It combines market insight, desk research and practical examples drawn from across the shrimp value chain, informed by Siggs’ experience in both industry and academia.
According to the Global Shrimp Forum Foundation, the report aims to demonstrate how full utilisation of shrimp resources can improve both sustainability and profitability at a time when producers and processors are under growing pressure to reduce waste and maximise value.
Willem van der Pijl, Managing Director of the Global Shrimp Forum, said the publication illustrates how the Forum’s role extends beyond its annual conference. “The Global Shrimp Forum was created to drive collaboration and progress within the shrimp industry, and this report is a tangible example of that mission in action,” he said. “By reinvesting the Forum’s surplus into independent research, we can support practical initiatives that help the industry address challenges and unlock new opportunities.”
Van der Pijl added that full utilisation is becoming increasingly important as the industry seeks to align sustainability goals with commercial performance.
Siggs said the report reflects growing interest in adopting a “100% Shrimp” model that treats processing residuals as valuable resources rather than waste. “There is untapped potential in material that is often seen as a burden to the business,” she said. “By bringing together technical knowledge, market perspectives and real-world examples, this report shows how full utilisation can benefit processors, producers and the wider industry, as well as adjacent sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals and packaging.”
She described the publication as a starting point rather than a technical manual, intended to stimulate discussion and innovation. “Realising this opportunity will require further research, collaboration and investment,” she said, adding that both she and the project’s steering committee are available to support companies and organisations seeking to take the concept further.
100% Shrimp: Full Utilisation is available to download free of charge via the Global Shrimp Forum website.
The Foundation said it hopes the report will help catalyse new thinking around circularity and value creation in the global shrimp sector, at a time when efficiency and sustainability are increasingly intertwined.
