FRD Japan

About FRD Japan

FRD Japan, established in 2013, is a company focused on the sustainable production of salmonids through a proprietary land-based aquaculture system. The company was co-founded by Yoichi Tsuji, who serves as COO, and Yoshikazu Koizumi, the company's CTO. Tsuji, with a background in water treatment, began developing a denitrification system in 2005, which formed the technical foundation for the company. Koizumi, a specialist in microorganisms, collaborated with Tsuji on developing the system. Tetsuro Sogo joined the company after his work in importing and selling marine products led to an investment from Mitsui & Co. in FRD Japan; he now serves as President and CEO.

The firm operates in the aquaculture market, specifically addressing the high demand for fresh salmon in Japan, which currently relies heavily on frozen imports from countries like Chile and Norway. Its business model centers on selling fresh, sustainably raised rainbow trout directly to consumers and businesses, including high-end supermarkets and conveyor belt sushi chains in the Kanto region. The company's primary product is its "Okasodachi" brand trout, raised in a completely closed-loop system that does not depend on seawater.

FRD Japan's core technology is a closed recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) that uses advanced filtration and beneficial bacteria to purify the water. This system significantly reduces the need for water changes to just 1% daily, primarily to replace evaporation losses, compared to the 30% required by conventional systems. Key benefits of this approach include the prevention of marine pollution, a lower risk of fish diseases entering the system, and the ability to raise fish without antibiotics. By using tap water or artificial seawater, the system also minimizes the high energy costs associated with cooling large volumes of natural seawater, a major hurdle for land-based aquaculture. This allows for facilities to be built in various inland locations close to consumer markets, reducing transportation costs and ensuring product freshness.

A significant milestone was the launch of demonstration plants in Saitama and Kisarazu in 2018, where the company successfully farmed over 20 generations of fish, validating the stability of its production methods. Originally focused on abalone, the company pivoted to the larger salmon market. In 2023, FRD Japan secured a substantial ¥21 billion investment from a consortium including Mitsui & Co., Air Water, and Sekisui Chemical to construct a commercial-scale plant in Futtsu City, Chiba. This new facility, set to begin shipments in 2027, aims to produce 3,500 metric tons of trout annually, a significant increase from its current pilot plant capacity of 30 tons. The long-term vision is to establish multiple large-scale plants across Asia.