Reinventing Whole-Cut Plant-Based Salmon: Inside Oshi’s Breakthrough Technology

It’s Mark here with a rare food-tech startup venture that caught my attention: OSHI, a pioneer that has perfected whole-cut plant-based salmon fillets.

I've known Oshi's founder, Ofek Ron, for years. When he first walked me through what he was building, I'll admit I was skeptical. I've tracked dozens of plant-based seafood startups from an investment perspective over the years, and frankly, very few have cracked the core engineering challenge. Recreating the texture, fat distribution, and authentic flake of a conventional salmon fillet — entirely from plants — is one of the hardest problems in alternative protein. Most companies settle for ground patties or processed nuggets and call it a day.

Oshi took a completely different approach to sustainable seafood.

Oshi is bringing whole-cut, plant-based salmon fillets layer-by-layer to over 600 retail stores nationwide.

Patented "Modular Layering": A New Era for Plant-Based Seafood

Instead of forcing plant protein into standard molds or extruders, Oshi invented and patented a proprietary “Modular Layering” technology.

Rather than pressing a uniform mass, their process constructs whole fillets layer by layer, meticulously replicating the natural muscle and fat structure found in a conventional salmon fillet — using entirely plant-based ingredients. I've seen this technology in action, and it's nothing short of remarkable. Top chefs who have cooked with it report that it looks, sears, and flakes like a conventional salmon fillet — with zero fishing involved. That's an extraordinary engineering achievement.

This structural authenticity is what sets Oshi apart. For the millions of consumers who currently rely on conventional salmon for protein, Oshi offers a genuinely satisfying whole-cut alternative — the same culinary experience, none of the harm.

Why Now? Ocean Catches Decline as Clean Protein Demand Surges

The macro tailwinds for whole-cut seafood alternatives and food-tech innovation have never been stronger:

• Declining Ocean Health: Annual wild catches continue to shrink due to warming oceans and chronic overfishing. Oshi addresses this crisis by offering a scalable, ocean-free alternative that removes demand pressure from already-stressed fisheries.
• The Problem with Farmed Fish: Conventional aquaculture comes with heavy antibiotic use, sea lice treatments, and pesticide residues — problems that Oshi's entirely land-based, plant-derived production sidesteps completely.
• Mass-Market Clean Protein: Health-conscious consumers are actively seeking a clean, mercury-free, microplastic-free protein option in the frozen aisle — one that doesn't require harming any animal to produce.

Oshi is positioned to capture this expanding demand as health-conscious consumers seek out sustainable, reliable, and clean seafood alternatives.

Breakthrough Unit Economics & National Retail Rollout

As an impact investor, what excites me just as much as the technology is Oshi's relentless focus on unit economics and commercial scale. Building a plant-based product that the market actually embraces is only half the battle; producing it affordably enough to compete on price is what creates a massive, enduring business.

Here is why their unit economics stand out in the equity crowdfunding ecosystem:

• Drastic Cost Reductions: Oshi reduced its production expense from USD $40 per fillet down to USD $6 per fillet. With advanced high-volume machinery currently coming online, they are targeting USD $2 per fillet—enabling price parity (and eventually advantage) over traditional salmon.
• Proven Restaurant Pilots: Oshi successfully completed pilots across 100 restaurants, validating chef and diner demand.
• National Retail Launch: The company is currently preparing to launch into 686 retail stores nationwide.

Backed by Institutional Investors Behind Oatly & Impossible Foods

Oshi has already secured over USD $12M from top-tier professional venture capitalists—including institutional investors who previously backed global icons like Oatly and Impossible Foods. Notably, Oatly co-founder Björn Öste is an investor and advocate.

Currently, Oshi is conducting a community equity crowdfunding round on Wefunder at an USD $18M valuation, which I consider very reasonable given their technical breakthroughs, retail commitments, and institutional backing. The round has already raised over USD $3.6M from 229+ investors.

This round gives individual investors and Planet Positive Investing members a rare opportunity to invest on the exact same terms as professional VCs before the round closes.

Questions? You can post a question directly on their Wefunder page, or reach out to Oshi's team at Tal@oshi.com.

As always with startup investing, I practice strict portfolio diversification—matching how professional VCs invest across multiple high-impact companies to balance risk and opportunity. Read all regulated offering materials carefully before making any decision.

To a sustainable, healthy, and compassionate future,

— Mark