Investor Espen Aubert joins salmon farming millionaire Grieg family on major new site.
Norwegian Espen Aubert went straight from the School of Business to salmon farming in Japan armed only with graduation money and a credit card. But things did not go very well at the beginning, writes Dagens Næringsliv.
But it’s his new venture, entrepreneur Aubert is investing once again in the East, which is turning heads.
Financing
This time he has brought with him the Grieg family. The plan is to build a land-based salmon farm in Japan.
“You save a lot by drop shipping, both in kroner and in CO2. For the Japanese, it is very important that the fish is fresh, and they are very fond of that. We are working on the financing now. In the first round, we’re talking about USD 120 million,” Aubert told the publication.
Grieg Seafood communications manager Kristina Furnes emphasised that this commitment is something the Grieg family is doing privately, not under the auspices of Oslo Stock Exchange-listed Grieg Seafood.
“You should check this with our largest owner Per Grieg. It has nothing to do with Grieg Seafood,” she told SalmonBusiness.
Japanese feudal lords
SalmonBusiness has tried, so far without success, to get a comment from Per Grieg on the matter.
Aubert’s wealth is primarily invested in real estate. His investment company, Daimyo, and its subsidiaries are engaged in a range of industries including renewable energy, cleantech, fish farming and real estate. The company name Daimyo, inspired by Japanese feudal lords, is worth EUR 100 million.
