SalMar
SalMar ASA is the world's second-largest Atlantic salmon producer, operating integrated farming, harvesting, and processing across Norway, Iceland, and Scotland, and supplying global food service, retail, and food processing customers in more than 50 countries through direct B2B sales.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersKverva, Norway
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What SalMar does
SalMar ASA, founded in 1991 and listed on Euronext Oslo (ticker SALM), is the world's second-largest Atlantic salmon producer, operating a vertically integrated value chain from smolt production through coastal and offshore farming, harvesting, and secondary processing. The company runs farming operations in Central Norway, Northern Norway (including Mefjord), Iceland (via Arnarlax), and Scotland (via 50%-owned Scottish Sea Farms Ltd), and operates three major processing facilities — InnovaMar in Frøya, InnovaNor in Senja, and Vikenco in Aukra — that produce ready-to-cook value-added products. Its offshore aquaculture platform, SalMar Ocean (formerly SalMar Aker Ocean), operates Ocean Farm 1, located 24 km off Frøya, which reports mortality rates below 3% versus a Norwegian industry average of 15% and incorporates automated Stingray laser systems for sea lice control and AI-based fish monitoring from Tidal, a Google X spinout.
Revenue is generated through direct B2B sales of Atlantic salmon to global food service operators, retail chains, and food processing companies across more than 50 countries — including the United States, Japan, Brazil, Poland, and China — with product pricing determined by commodity Atlantic salmon market prices rather than company-published list pricing. SalMar executed a major industrial transformation in late 2022 through the NTS ASA tender offer, which folded NRS and SalmoNor into a single operating platform generating a targeted NOK 844 million in annual synergies, and subsequently divested Frøy ASA to Goldman Sachs Asset Management for ~NOK 4.8 billion in 2023 to refocus on farming and processing. The company is majority-controlled by Gustav Witzøe through Kvarv AS, is led by CEO Frode Arntsen and CFO Ulrik Steinvik, and was assigned a BBB/Stable credit rating by Nordic Credit Rating reflecting strong profitability and moderate leverage.
SalMar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SalMar
- Legal name
- SalMar ASA
- Website
- https://salmar.no
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- SalMar ASA is the world's second-largest Atlantic salmon producer, operating integrated farming, harvesting, and processing across Norway, Iceland, and Scotland, and supplying global food service, retail, and food processing customers in more than 50 countries through direct B2B sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SalMar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aquaculture and Salmon Production
- NAICS
- Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Aquaculture (1125), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171)
- SIC
- Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aquaculture Harvest, Processing & Packing (Farmed Finfish/Shellfish; On-Farm Plants) (AFANADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Primary Seafood Processing (Heading/Gutting/Deheading; Icing) (AFANADAA), Smoked, Cured & Salted Seafood (Lox, Kippers, Bacalao) (AFANADAF)
Keywords
Where SalMar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kverva
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
SalMar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Atlantic Salmon Production and Sales: Primary revenue from farming, harvesting, and selling Atlantic salmon. The company produces healthy and flavorful salmon to over 50 countries worldwide, with production capacity covering the dinner needs of all Norwegians every day year-round.
- Secondary Processing and Local Value-Added Products: Local secondary processing is a key focus area, producing ready-to-cook salmon products with high quality at processing facilities including InnovaMar in Frøya, InnovaNor in Senja, and Vikenco in Aukra.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
SalMar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SalMar farms, harvests, and processes Atlantic salmon through an integrated value chain spanning smolt production, coastal and offshore aquaculture, harvesting, and secondary processing. The company operates farming sites in Central Norway, Northern Norway, Iceland, and through a 50/50 Scottish Sea Farms joint venture, producing fresh whole salmon and ready-to-cook value-added products for B2B customers globally. It is the world's second-largest salmon producer with 300,900 tonnes harvested in 2025 and exports to over 50 countries.
Product overview
SalMar is the world's second-largest Atlantic salmon producer, operating a vertically integrated model encompassing salmon farming (Central Norway, Northern Norway, Iceland, offshore), harvesting, and secondary processing. The product portfolio includes three major processing facilities (InnovaMar in Frøya, InnovaNor in Senja, and Vikenco in Aukra), offshore aquaculture operations through SalMar Ocean (Ocean Farm 1), and joint venture interests in Scottish Sea Farms. The company exports Atlantic salmon to over 50 countries and operates six visitor centers across Norway. SalMar has pursued aggressive growth through acquisitions including NTS, NRS, SalmoNor, Wilsgård, and Øylaks, consolidating these entities into its operational structure. Technology initiatives include Smart Fish Farm and Ocean Farm 1, which deploy AI monitoring and automated systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SalMar Aker Ocean (now SalMar Ocean): Offshore aquaculture operations including Ocean Farm 1
- InnovaMar
- InnovaNor
- Vikenco
- Icelandic Salmon (Arnarlax)
- SalMar Salmon Centre
- Salmon Center Senja
- Salmon Center Molde
- Salmon Center Rørvik
- Salmon Center Alta
- SeeSalmon
- Nekton Havbruk
Products and services
- Atlantic Salmon (Whole, Fresh and Frozen) Whole Atlantic salmon sold fresh and frozen, farmed in Norway (Central and Northern regions), Iceland via Arnarlax, and Scotland via the Scottish Sea Farms joint venture. The company is the world's second-largest Atlantic salmon producer with 300,900 tonnes harvested in 2025 and is sold to food service operators, retailers, and food processing companies globally.
- Value-Added Processed Salmon Products Ready-to-cook and value-added salmon products produced through local secondary processing at InnovaMar in Frøya, InnovaNor in Senja, and Vikenco in Aukra, providing high-quality processed salmon for global B2B customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Ocean Farm 1 mortality rate below 3% vs Norwegian industry average of 15%
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SalMar
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SalMar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
SalMar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Tidal (Google X Spinout)coreAI platform partnership for fish health monitoring. Tidal, a spinout from Google X (Alphabet), provides AI-based monitoring technology for salmon welfare assessment.
- Stingray Marine Solutions AScoreProvides automated laser systems for sea lice control on salmon farms. Non-chemical approach to maintaining fish health and welfare, deployed at Ocean Farm 1 and other facilities.
- Scottish Sea Farms Ltdcore50%-owned joint venture operating salmon farms in Scotland. Faces biological challenges including gill health issues and reduced harvest volumes. SalMar and Lerøy each hold 50% stakes.
- SINTEF OceanminorResearch collaboration through SINTEF Ocean's Aquaculture Robotics and Autonomous Systems Laboratory in Trondheim. SINTEF operates four research fish farming licenses in collaboration with SalMar. Students from MIT Sea Grant participate in internships through this collaboration.
- Mowi, Thai Union GroupminorIdentified as top global seafood export companies alongside SalMar in trade data report. Mowi leads at $5.8B, SalMar at $3.4B, Thai Union at $2.9B.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SalMar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bakkafrost: Bakkafrost is the largest Atlantic salmon producer in the Faroe Islands with vertically integrated farming, processing, and value-added operations. It is a direct peer in the premium Atlantic salmon farming segment with similar value chain integration.
- Mowi ASA: Mowi is the world's largest Atlantic salmon producer, farming in Norway, Scotland, Ireland, the Faroe Islands, and Canada. It is SalMar's primary direct competitor globally, offering the most relevant scale and value chain comparison for Norwegian salmon farming operations and integrated processing.
- Cooke Aquaculture: Cooke Aquaculture is a Canadian family-owned seafood company with Atlantic salmon farming operations in Atlantic Canada, Maine, Scotland, and Chile. It is a direct peer in the global salmon farming industry with comparable harvest volumes and integrated processing capabilities.
- Lerøy Seafood Group: Lerøy is a major Norwegian seafood group with Atlantic salmon farming operations and SalMar's 50/50 joint venture partner in Scottish Sea Farms. It offers direct comparability across Norwegian salmon farming, processing, and value-added products.
- Cermaq: Cermaq is a Norwegian salmon farmer (subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation) operating in Norway, Chile, and Canada. It is a direct competitor in the Norwegian salmon farming segment with comparable production capacity and export market exposure.
- Grieg Seafood ASA: Grieg Seafood is a Norwegian Atlantic salmon farmer with operations in Norway, British Columbia (Canada), and Shetland. It is a direct peer focused on the same species and geographies with comparable harvest volumes and value-added product strategies.
Broad incumbents
- Maruha Nichiro: Maruha Nichiro is one of Japan's largest seafood companies with global operations spanning fishing, aquaculture, and processing. It is a broad incumbent in seafood production with comparable export market presence, particularly in the Japanese market where SalMar exports significantly.
- Thai Union Group: Thai Union Group is a global seafood processor identified alongside SalMar as a top global seafood export company ($2.9B). While it focuses on tuna and other seafood processing rather than salmon farming, it is a broad incumbent comparable as a large-scale seafood exporter and processor.
- Nippon Suisan Kaisha (Nissui): Nissui is a major Japanese fisheries and seafood company with global aquaculture and processing operations. It is a broad incumbent comparable to SalMar as a vertically integrated seafood producer with significant presence in Asian export markets.
Emerging players
- Atlantic Sapphire: Atlantic Sapphire is a US-based land-based Atlantic salmon farmer pioneering RAS (recirculating aquaculture systems) technology. While it uses a different production model, it directly competes for the same end markets and represents the technological alternative to traditional net-pen and offshore salmon farming.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SalMar social profiles
Digital presenceSalMar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SalMar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
SalMar subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
SalMar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SalMar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SalMar
What does SalMar do?
SalMar farms, harvests, and processes Atlantic salmon through an integrated value chain spanning smolt production, coastal and offshore aquaculture, harvesting, and secondary processing. The company operates farming sites in Central Norway, Northern Norway, Iceland, and through a 50/50 Scottish Sea Farms joint venture, producing fresh whole salmon and ready-to-cook value-added products for B2B customers globally. It is the world's second-largest salmon producer with 300,900 tonnes harvested in 2025 and exports to over 50 countries.
Is SalMar a public or private company?
SalMar is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was SalMar founded?
SalMar was founded in 1991. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is SalMar based?
SalMar is headquartered in Kverva, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does SalMar make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Atlantic Salmon Production and Sales are the primary driver. The others are secondary Processing and Local Value-Added Products.
Who are SalMar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bakkafrost, Mowi ASA, Cooke Aquaculture, Lerøy Seafood Group, Cermaq and Grieg Seafood ASA. Broad incumbents are Maruha Nichiro, Thai Union Group and Nippon Suisan Kaisha (Nissui). Atlantic Sapphire is listed as an emerging player.
Does SalMar have an API?
No public API is recorded for SalMar.
What industry is SalMar in?
SalMar's product category is Aquaculture and Salmon Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFANADAL, Aquaculture Harvest, Processing & Packing (Farmed Finfish/Shellfish; On-Farm Plants), with a secondary code of AFANADAA, Primary Seafood Processing (Heading/Gutting/Deheading; Icing). Its NAICS code is 112511 and its SIC code is 2092.