Category: News

There is widespread support for the transformation of the food system and Nordic co-operation to meet the challenges.

Recently, the results of a project entitled: Towards a sustainable Nordic food system were published, which examined what steps need to be taken to develop a sustainable food system. The project was carried out through discussions with a broad group of stakeholders from Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. The participation of Icelandic stakeholders in the project was particularly good and Matís was involved in organizing the project's workshop in Iceland. The project was led by the Stockholm Resilience Center.

Main results:

• Almost 90% participants agreed that the Nordic food system needs to change in order to achieve the set goals for sustainability
• Half of the participants found the path to sustainability unclear and at the same time controversial
• 88% participants believe that the Nordic countries work best together to tackle common challenges in the food system

But where do we start?

Eight ways of action and Nordic co-operation were proposed. They, together with other main results of the project, are published in short sections which are accessible here: Nordic countries are well suited to collaborate on food systems transformation

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The Nordic television station N4 shows weekly discussion programs on regional issues in the countryside, which are simply called Landsbyggðir. In this week's episode, we talked to Odd Már Gunnarsson, CEO of Matís.

In the TV show, Karl Eskil Pálsson, host, talked to Odd Már about Matís' operations in the countryside, which have offices in Akureyri, Ísafjörður and Neskaupsstaður. However, they did not stop there in the discussions, but went far and wide and discussed the projects, the operational basis, the knowledge that has developed in research work over the years and the many opportunities that lie in food production and industry in Iceland in the future.

You can watch the entire episode on the N4 TV website here: Player - N4

In May, Matís' annual meeting for the year 2020 took place, followed by a series of focus meetings that provided further insight into certain parts of the company's operations. The series of meetings meant that one morning meeting was held for a specific sector or branch of the economy, which Matís provides support to, and parties there and interested parties were invited to a meeting.

The focus series consisted of 8 meetings that took place through teleconferencing equipment. All the meetings were well attended and in most cases lively discussions were created on various issues related to the subject. Experts from Matís, representatives from large and small companies in the food industry in Iceland, entrepreneurs and the general public had the opportunity to discuss together what is on the top of the agenda in each issue.

The first meeting took place on 14 May and was the topic of discussion The carbon footprint of demersal fish products and the adaptation of the fisheries sector to the effects of climate change. In the next two weeks, meetings were held where the topics were: research and innovation for future aquaculture, pelagic industry now and in the future, value chain of vegetables, research and innovation in meat production and meat processing, dairy products now and in the future and future emphases and possibilities for collaboration in biotechnology and biomaterials in Iceland.

The last meeting that took place was held in collaboration with Ministry of Industry and Innovation and Innovation Week. The meeting was entitled Sprouts and product development - how can Matís help? At that meeting, special consideration was given to how Matís can assist entrepreneurs in the innovation process, from concept work to the market. Dagný Hermannsdóttir from the company Súrkál for gourmets and Óskar Ericsson from Himbrimi Gin are pioneers who have innovated in food production and they told about their experience of collaboration with Matís but both have produced products that have been very successful.

Matís would like to thank all participants for their co-operation and also for the attention the series received. The aim is to make a joint meeting like this an annual event at the company.

All the focus meetings, as well as Matís 'annual meeting for the year 2020, can be found here on Matís' website but also at Youtube channel of the company.  

The North Atlantic Seafood Forum takes place from the 8th to the 10th of October. It is clear that the conference will be one of the most significant online events in the fisheries and aquaculture industry in 2021. A total of 160 lectures will be given in 18 seminars, and more than 2000 participants are expected from around the world and from various links in the seafood value chain. Do not miss this event!

In March every year for the past 15 years, fisheries and aquaculture executives and stakeholders have flocked to Bergen to attend the North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) conference. The target group of this three-day conference has traditionally been managers in the fisheries, aquaculture and related industries, ie. equipment manufacturers, marketing companies, banks, insurance companies, consulting companies, etc. Although the cost of participation has been significant, between 800 and 1,000 people have attended the event each year, which shows how important this conference is for the target group. Due to COVID, it has now been decided that NASF21 will be an online event, which provides an opportunity to increase the number of participants and reduce the conference fee significantly.

The conference will take place on 8-10. June and is expected to have at least 2,000 participants. The agenda of the conference is particularly exciting this time, but it can be seen here: Program for NASF 2021.

If there is a big link to the program, the following seminars attract special attention:

• Effects of salmon lice on aquaculture
• Aquaculture feed and its development
• Supply and demand in aquaculture
• New production methods in aquaculture
• Supply and markets for whitefish
• Women in the fishing industry
• Supply and demand for shrimp
• Investments in the fisheries sector
• Supply and markets of pelagic species
• Discussion of a key market for seafood under the auspices of the Norwegian Seafood Council
• Sustainability and marine products

Icelandic companies and individuals play a fairly large place in the program. The first to be mentioned is that Valka and Marel are among the main sponsors of the conference. The following Icelanders or parties connected to Iceland will be included in the list of speakers:

• Jón Birgir Gunnarson at Valka will discuss filleting before death
• Guðbjörg Heiða Guðmundsdóttir at Marel will discuss the digital revolution in the value chain of aquaculture
• Bjorn Hembre from Arnarlax will talk about salmon farming in Iceland
• Sturlaugur Haraldsson at Norebo will discuss the supply of white fish from Russia
• Þór Sigfússon at Sjávarklasan will discuss the utilization of additional raw materials and consider the question of whether 100% utilization is possible
• Guðmundur Gíslason will represent Fiskeldi Austfjarðar (Ice Fish Farm), Bjorn Hamre on behalf of Arnarlax (Icelandic Salmon) and Stein Ove Tveiten on behalf of Arctic Fish in an investor seminar.
• Jóhannes Pálsson will discuss the impact of Brexit on the pelagic sector
• Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson will discuss sustainability in the fisheries sector

Participation in NASF in recent years has not been widespread, as the registration fee alone has been close to 200,000. kr. in addition, travel and accommodation in Bergen costs money. Nevertheless, over 800 people have seen reason to attend the conference in recent years. As this will be an online event, it is possible to experience NASF for a significantly lower cost. The conference fee is around 43,000 ISK (290 EUR) per participant, but then there is a volume discount available for companies that register more participants.

For example, offers are now offered, so if three participants are registered, the price will be reduced to 150 EUR / person.

All lectures will be available for at least one month after the end of the conference, so it is well worth registering, even if participants do not have the opportunity to attend the conference in "real time".

One of the most important part of participating in the NASF has always been the opportunity to gather the main influences in the fisheries sector in one place to establish and maintain partnerships. Good and secure business relationships are always based on personal communication, and NASF has played an important role in this. This time, efforts will be made to meet those needs by offering to connect parties in micro-meetings. Different "packages" are available when it comes to such connections, but the "package" that most people are most likely to choose who is interested in taking advantage of this opportunity costs 500 EUR. For that "package", the company gets its name and presentation on the "wall" and then all general participants can book a meeting with that company.

Those who are interested in receiving more information about NASF21 are advised to contact Jónas R. Viðarsson jonas@matis.is or by phone 4225107.

Last week, preparations and raw material procurement took place for the first agricultural experiments at Landgræðslan and the Agricultural University of Iceland.

Matís employees have been strict in collecting raw materials and preparing fertilizer mixtures for the project. Sustainable fertilizer processing which was funded by the Rannís Marketing Plan. The project is working on mapping the amount of organic by-products and problem waste that is generated in Iceland with a view to using it in land reclamation and agriculture. The innovation company Atmonia is also participating in the project, as the company is developing an environmentally friendly production process for nitrogen fertilizers.

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By increasing the utilization of organic raw materials from Icelandic industry and mixing them with important nutrients, such as nitrogen and sulfur, it is possible to significantly reduce the import of fertilizers and at the same time close the cycle and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The treatment and use of organic raw materials in fertilizers often involves a great deal of hassle, in addition to which such treatment is costly. Large amounts of raw materials are usually needed to meet the nutritional needs of agriculture and land reclamation, in addition to which the nutritional composition is not always optimal. The project will therefore seek to find ways to improve organic fertilizers and at the same time reduce transport costs and emissions.

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In this summer's experiments, emphasis is placed on raw materials that have been processed from so-called problem waste, ie. slaughter waste, food licenses and sludge. Tests will be performed with aquaculture manure, human sludge, three types of compost, meat meal, bokashi, cow manure and chicken manure. The raw materials will be applied to agricultural areas this spring, on the one hand unmixed and on the other hand with added nitrogen and sulfur. Such an experiment provides an important comparison, as well as a comparison with synthetic fertilizers. The results will shed light on the quality of these raw materials, whether less raw materials can be used if the nutritional composition is adjusted and whether they are a viable option in agriculture and land reclamation.

The project is for two years, but agricultural experiments will be reviewed and repeated next summer.

The project involves: Matís, Atmonia, the Agricultural University of Iceland, Landgræðslan, Hafró and Landsvirkjun.

Matís' annual report for the year 2020 is now available.

The year 2020 was full of challenges in Matís' operations like other companies, but it is safe to say that various large and important milestones have been reached.

The annual report paints a picture of the operations, which in addition to traditional and statutory operations involved finding ways to maintain and expand the company's work in new and demanding conditions.

The report is divided into the following sections and can be viewed in its entirety by clicking here.

• Address by the Chairman of the Board
• Address by the CEO
• The role and operation of Matís
• Extensive collaboration
• Value creation, public health and food security
• Research and innovation projects
• Service measurements
• Catering, consulting, education and training
• Support for the government and committee work
• Food security and priority services
• Monitoring of undesirable substances in seafood
• Matís all over the country
• Research collaboration with educational institutions

Discussions about microplastics have been prominent in the media and public debate in recent years. Earlier this month, a scientific article appeared in the journal Sustainability which shows that microplastics can be found in Vatnajökull and scientists conclude that microplastics can also be found in all other glaciers in the country.

Microplastic is a synonym for tiny plastic particles of various kinds. The particles are less than 5 mm in diameter and many are so small that they are not visible to the naked eye. Plastic can be produced specifically in these small particles to be placed in various cosmetics to achieve a rough texture, for example in creams or soaps. However, microplastics are becoming more common when larger plastic units decompose in nature. Research has shown that microplastics are found in every nook and cranny of the world. In the ocean, in the atmosphere, in the Arctic ice and in the bodies of humans and animals.  

Numerous studies have been conducted on microplastics and their existence in the world in recent years, but in the latest issue of the scientific journal Sustainability published an article by scientists at Reykjavík University, the University of Gothenburg and the Icelandic Meteorological Office, which shows that microplastics can be found in the snow layers of Vatnajökull.

The samples examined were three-meter-long drill cores from the middle of the glacier, so it is likely that the plastic particles reached the glacier with wind or precipitation. The microplastic was of various shapes and sizes, and these results indicate that there is ample reason to study microplastics in the world, even in the most remote places, and its transport routes further.

Matís is already leading a joint Nordic project called NordMar Plastic where the main research topics are plastic and its effects in the Arctic. The project has formed a strong, interdisciplinary team of experts and aims to collect and review available data on methods, research results and monitoring of plastic use and pollution.

The aim is also to create a strong, international network of parties related to the issue in order to achieve coordination, cooperation and synergies.

NordMar Plastic focuses on examining the situation in the Arctic and assessing whether there is reason to set a specific policy in this area. The project also focuses on raising public awareness of the issue and creating educational materials and practical projects for children in primary schools to reduce plastic use and recycle plastic.

Further information about NordMar Plastic can be found on the project's website by clicking here.

Orchids and Matís ohf. recently signed a co-operation agreement which aims to work together to increase value and innovation in the field of food and biotechnology in the South.

The co-operation is also intended to arouse the interest of southern stakeholders in connecting with value and innovation in the field and getting them to co-operate. To this end, Orkidea and Matís intend to look at joint projects and joint fundraising whenever possible. The co-operation does not involve joint financing except through projects funded by funds.