Regal Springs is the world’s largest vertically integrated aquaculture company, employing over 8,500 individuals worldwide. Seen as pioneers in sustainable aquaculture for their farming techniques and community focus, Regal Springs is dedicated to their people and taking care of the environments they work in.
How Did It All Start?
A natural explorer and former United Nations aid worker, Rudi Lamprecht was looking for a protein to feed the impoverished residents of Java while creating a business that could employ members of the local community and ensure decent incomes. Confident that fish farming had the potential to achieve these goals, Lamprecht began experimenting with species—starting with catfish.
If At First You Don’t Succeed
After two years of disappointment determining that catfish could not survive in the clean, cool waters of Java, Lamprecht discovered Tilapia. This white fish had become endemic throughout the tropical world as a food staple but was still largely unknown as a commercial fish in the United States. Here, Lamprecht found that tilapia thrived in the
clean waters and began developing floating cages in the deep lakes.
The Perfect Strategy
While finding a natural fit in terms of fish and the environment, Lamprecht came to the realization that in order to truly succeed, he needed to partner with the local communities in a way that was nonthreatening—one that would directly benefit the communities where the farming was taking place. Through this process, the Regal Springs mission became clear: “To produce premium Tilapia while building communities.” This philosophy has remained true over the years as the company continues to empower fish-farming communities through economic and social development. 
A New Healthy Fish
With communities and healthy fish in mind, Lamprecht’s strategy worked. Soon production outpaced sales, prompting Regal Springs to bring Tilapia to new markets, including the United States. In 1992, Lamprecht secured Regal Springs’ first large food service contract in the US and proceeded to take Tilapia from being a virtually unknown fish in the country
to becoming the fourth-most-consumed seafood item in the U.S. after shrimp, salmon and tuna.
Regal Springs Today
Now Lamprecht leads Regal Springs with his daughter Magdalena. With offices in Florida and Seattle, Regal Springs operates high-quality Tilapia farms in Honduras, Mexico and Indonesia. Focusing on excellent product and strong core values that center around both employees and the environment, Regal Springs continues to elevate aquaculture standards. You can even find their products at your favorite stories like Costco and Walmart.
Today, after over 25 years of success, Rudi and his daughter Magdalena continue the mission to produce the world’s finest Tilapia free of preservatives, growth hormones and mercury, all while empowering and supporting local fish-farming communities.
Photo credit: Regal Springs
