Meet us at VietFish 2026

Why buyers are paying closer attention

Buyers are asking more questions than they did a few years ago. Where was this fish raised? How was it handled? Can you prove it?

For producers, welfare and quality aren't separate conversations anymore. Stress and poor handling can affect the final product, while markets are placing greater emphasis on consistent quality, traceability and documented animal welfare.

Electric stunning is one important part of this picture. Optimar's electric stunners have been in commercial use for more than 15 years, on vessels and at land-based facilities, and are tested and validated across species from salmon to shellfish. In Norway, the system is currently the only stunning solution approved under the Norwegian Food Safety Authority's standards.

– Animal welfare isn't about choosing a method based on intuition, says Lars André Giske, Head of Development at Optimar.

– It's about choosing solutions that are thoroughly tested, documented, and refined over time.

More than one step in the process

At VietFish 2026, we want to show how the different stages of seafood handling work together. Electric stunning is one important part of that picture – alongside careful handling, sorting and solutions designed to make processing more efficient.

Because what happens at one stage affects what comes next. Better handling can help protect product quality, improve fish welfare and create a more consistent and efficient production process.

We've been asked to share what we've learned with industry groups in the country, and we're looking forward to sitting down with producers working with pangasius, shrimp, and increasingly barramundi, often described as the region's answer to salmon.

Vietnam already produces close to 2 million tons of pangasius a year and ranks third globally in shrimp production. Growth like that comes with pressure: more volume, more scrutiny, less room for inconsistent quality.

– We keep coming back to Vietnam because the industry here is moving fast, and the producers we meet are genuinely curious about what better handling can do for their product, says Mårten Jørgensen, Sales Manager Aquaculture at Optimar.

– For producers, it comes down to getting more value from every fish. Better handling throughout the line can help protect quality, reduce losses and make the entire process more efficient.

Meet us there

You'll find Optimar at the Norwegian Pavilion during VietFish 2026. Come by to explore how better handling, sorting, stunning and processing can help improve efficiency, fish welfare and product quality – and talk to our team about the challenges and opportunities in your own production.

Meetings fill up fast, so it's worth reaching out before you enter the exhibition.