“We can’t wait to see and taste what he creates with MOWI salmon.”

Mowi taps Michelin-trained chef  to showcase farmed salmon to North American seafood lovers

By Samantha McLeod
SeaWestNews

The world’s largest salmon farmer is turning to fine dining to make its case at the dinner table.

Mowi, which farms salmon across Norway, Scotland, Canada, Chile, Ireland and the Faroe Islands, has partnered with Michelin-trained chef Alex Trim in a marketing push aimed at positioning farmed salmon as both premium and practical for home cooks.

Trim will join Mowi at major trade shows, including Expo West in Anaheim this week, where he is scheduled to lead cooking demonstrations and develop new recipes featuring MOWI-branded salmon. The content will also roll out across the company’s digital channels, including Mowi Salmon TV, Pinterest and TikTok.

In a sector that often finds itself defending aquaculture, the strategy is to build consumer loyalty through taste, versatility and culinary credibility.

“High quality products are so important when creating recipes, whether they are for a special occasion or as a midweek family meal,” Trim said in a statement announcing the partnership.

“Using my experience built up at some of the finest restaurants, I love showing people how they can create this same magic at home.”

Trim trained at Alinea, one of the most celebrated Michelin-starred restaurants in the United States, and later rose to sous chef at Tru, a two-star institution before its closure. He went on to work with Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, contributing to menu development and new restaurant concepts.

Since 2021, he has focused on private dining in Florida, building a reputation for translating Michelin-level technique into approachable home experiences. Today, he is regarded as a leading private chef in Naples, catering to clients seeking refined, personalized cuisine.

The collaboration aligns with Mowi’s broader branding message of “salmon for salmon lovers,” said Diana Dumet, Senior Director of Marketing and Category at Mowi CP of Americas.

“He will help us bring his expertise in fine dining to consumers at home… We can’t wait to see and taste what he creates with MOWI salmon” Dumet said.

The campaign comes as global salmon demand continues to expand. A recent Rabobank report titled Keeping Salmon on the Top of the Menu noted that no other seafood matches farmed salmon’s year-round availability, health profile and value proposition.

“Because of aquaculture, there is no seasonality for salmon and this provides for consistent supply and quality throughout the year… From a global market perspective 80 percent of all salmon consumed is farmed Atlantic salmon,” study co-author Gorjan Nikolik told SeaWestNews in an earlier interview.

In Canada, research from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab found that nearly eight in 10 Canadians consume salmon, making it one of the country’s most widely eaten fish. The national survey of more than 10,000 consumers also showed strong repeat demand, with a significant share of households reporting weekly consumption.

The study further highlighted growing acceptance of farmed salmon. A majority of respondents said they believe aquaculture is a sustainable way to produce salmon in Canada, while Atlantic salmon remains the dominant species purchased at retail. The reality in grocery stores reflects global supply trends: most salmon available year-round is farmed.

Mowi has also been recognized on the sustainability front. The company has topped the

Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index for five consecutive years, ranking highest among global animal protein producers on environmental, social and governance metrics.

Industry observers say chef partnerships have become a key tool for food brands seeking to strengthen consumer trust and engagement. Demonstrating recipe flexibility and ease of preparation helps address lingering perceptions that seafood is complicated to cook at home.

In coastal regions tied to aquaculture, including British Columbia and Atlantic Canada, strong retail demand supports farmgate prices, investment and employment throughout the value chain.

As regulatory debates around ocean salmon farming continue, initiatives like this signal another front in the industry’s evolution. The conversation is no longer confined to policy tables and activist social media sites.

 It is unfolding at the seafood counter and in home kitchens across North America.

(Main image courtesy of Mowi with an inset of Chef Alex Trim)