SimpliiGood secures US$4M, regulatory backing to scale its plant based salmon across Europe, Israel

EUROPE – The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved a spirulina-based smoked salmon analogue developed by Israeli foodtech company SimpliiGood.

The approval follows the company’s completion of its industrial production process and the successful raising of US$4 million in new funding.

The product, branded as Simplii Texture, is a texturised ingredient made from fresh spirulina that can be used to create a variety of plant-based seafood alternatives.

According to the company, one kilogram of the ingredient yields three to four kilograms of finished smoked salmon substitute.

Baruch Dach, SimpliiGood’s chief technology officer and co-founder, said the product emerged in response to environmental concerns around seafood and the functional capabilities of spirulina as a base ingredient.

He explained that unlike soy and pea proteins, which require intensive processing, spirulina’s natural structure allows it to form meat-like textures with minimal modification.

This quality, he said, makes it especially suitable for replicating soft fish products such as smoked salmon.

Ingredient adaptable to multiple seafood formats

SimpliiGood grows its spirulina in greenhouse ponds, harvesting the algae daily using a system that recycles 98% of its water.

The Simplii Texture platform can be adjusted to match various seafood textures by changing the filament concentration, emulsion ratios, and fibre direction.

This approach enables the development of products ranging from sushi components to deli-style meats and high-protein spreads.

In addition to smoked salmon, the company is working on other spirulina-based items such as salmon fillets, tuna analogues, crab-style cakes, and seafood blends.

Focus shifts to manufacturers and service providers

By partnering directly with spirulina growers and reducing reliance on high-cost infrastructure, SimpliiGood says it has cut production costs significantly compared to other alternative protein systems.

The company expects its smoked salmon analogue to reach price competitiveness with premium seafood within 12 to 18 months, with further reductions possible as production scales.

Rather than selling directly to consumers, SimpliiGood provides sample products like smoked salmon sandwiches to food manufacturers and service providers as proof-of-concept.

Over the next year, the company plans to increase production capacity by collaborating with co-manufacturers and algae producers.

It also aims to distribute the ingredient across the food manufacturing sector, airline catering services, and select retail pilot programmes in Europe and Israel.

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