OLALA!, a French producer of plant-based seafood alternatives, has announced that it is ceasing operations after three years.
On LinkedIn, OLALA! explained that it had not found its market and had failed to achieve sufficient turnover to sustain itself. The brand said food service companies had a strong resistance towards paying extra for plant-based products, even when they have sustainability and health benefits.
OLALA! expressed gratitude to its team, investors, distributors, and wholesalers for their contributions over the past few years, and also thanked customers such as Kumo, EXKi, Land&Monkeys, VEGETAL FOOD, and Nausicaa Centre National de la Mer. Additionally, the company apologised to suppliers who had been left with unpaid invoices due to the closure.
“A page is turning”
A year ago, OLALA! announced a new brand design for its seafood alternatives, which included alternatives to salmon, tuna, and the Greek fish roe dip taramasalata. The company also became a member of Future Ocean Foods, said to be the only global association dedicated to alternative seafood, in 2024.
The closure comes just after OLALA! obtained an IFS FOOD certificate for its plant in Boulogne-sur-Mer, indicating the quality and safety of its products.
“This experience, despite its premature end, was an enrichment for all those who contributed to the existence of this company and its products, thus offering the public a new way of eating that is more respectful of our oceans,” said OLALA! on LinkedIn. “A page is turning but the adventure of more sustainable food continues!”
