Baltic MUPPETS kicked off 2024 gaining significant momentum as results started to emerge. Over the past year, the project achieved six key milestones and successfully submitted and secured approval for ten deliverables across its work packages. As part of its communication and dissemination activities, project partners organised or participated in 17 events, effectively engaging with professionals in the mussel sector, legislators, and researchers.
2024 Highlights
New partner addition: GROBRUKET!
After joining the consortium in January 2024, Grobruket has been dedicated to making mussel production more circular. They have focused on repurposing mussel shells into sustainable fertilisers. Shells are rich in calcium carbonate, a common ingredient in soil enhancer products. By combining the shells with other marine byproducts, they have developed a composting process transforming the material in just one week. This method is not only significantly faster than traditional composting, which takes months, but also far more environmentally friendly. Stay tuned for the release in 2025!
Half-time review and early assessment meeting
In March, all the partners met up in person for the first time with the updated consortium constellation! The meeting took place in Berlin, and the purpose was to go through the project´s status and prepare for the early assessment coming up half-way through the project.
It was a great opportunity for some internal feedback and prospecting, and the first of three in-person meetings we had this year.
Baltic Sea Factory inauguration
In May, the Baltic Sea Factory opened in Västervik, Sweden. This facility is specifically adapted to process Baltic blue mussels, which are much smaller than their North Sea counterparts. Special adaptations were needed for the entire production line, such as the shell-meat separation. The development of this new facility allows for the scaling up of existing and new products, such as the Sjötugg Dog Snack.
Nutrient and carbon capture modelling
Tartu University has investigated the nutrient and carbon capture potential of blue mussels across the Baltic Sea. They have updated the interactive tool Operational Decision Support System, part of BlueBioSites, where users can plan their mussel farm and see the estimated impact. There is also a publication available here.
Site visit to Denmark and Sweden
In June, a first site visit was organised to our Danish mussel farm by Wittrup Seafood A/S and Blue Research. During this two-day trip, the partners got a tour of the commercial-scale mussel farm and a demonstration of the underwater drone used to monitor the submerged systems. Additionally, a theme through the visit was the social acceptance of mussel production in Denmark, and soon there will be some more material from the project on this topic…
In September, the consortium embarked on its second site visit—this time to Ecopelag’s mussel farm in Västervik, Sweden. Here, participants got to see the new processing line in action and followed the entire production journey, all the way from the mussel farm to holding a bag of Sjötugg.
You find videos from the site visits on our Youtube channel.
Sjötugg release
ECOPELAG officially launched their new product Sjötugg Dog Snacks, a healthy and sustainable treat for dogs made entirely from Baltic blue mussels, which was brought to the Swedish market in August. By the end of the year, more than 900 kilo of fresh mussels had been processed and sold, marking a significant achievement for the project. The mussels do not only help combat eutrophication in the Baltic Sea region but are also a vital source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, antioxidants, and essential minerals like glucosamine and chondroitin for our pets.
Innovation call
The Baltic MUPPETS Innovation Call was launched to tackle key challenges faced by mussel farmers. The goal was to identify SMEs and start-ups to develop targeted solutions for eight challenges faced by our farmers. The application period closed in January 2025, and we are currently evaluating the 13 applications. More information on the selection will follow soon!
Outlook for 2025
For 2025, we hit the ground running! Selected applicants from our open call will tackle some of the key challenges facing mussel farmers in Europe. Meanwhile, new products are ready to be launched, with our partners actively developing even more. This year, we are also advancing key deliverables, including regulatory overviews, business and investment plans, market readiness assessments, and a sustainability report on mussel farming and pet food production. Additionally, we’re preparing site-specific production manuals to support farmers in optimising their operations.
The Baltic MUPPETS team will be showcasing our work at the Mission Arena in Sopot, Poland, from April 28-30, 2025, along with other key industry events. We invite you to connect with us on LinkedIn or via BlueBioMatch to explore our latest products and discuss potential collaborations.
