Luverne out, Madison, SD, in for trū Shrimp

The trū Shrimp Company, a Balaton-based shrimp production company, announced Friday that it plans to build its first shrimp production facility, a Harbor, in Madison, South Dakota.

The City of Luverne was previously identified as the site for trū Shrimp’s first Harbor, but issues there need to be addressed before trū Shrimp can proceed there, the company said in a news release.

“It is a matter of timing;” Michael Ziebell, trū Shrimp president and CEO said. “Our timeline for capital financing and construction in 2019 does not allow adequate time to resolve the items in Luverne. Locating the first Harbor in Madison not only meets the critical components of our business model, but our timeline as well.”

trū Shrimp’s advanced technology is designed to raise shrimp in a near natural and disease-free environment. Construction is expected to break ground this summer in Madison’s Lakeview Industrial Park, with the exact timeline pending the completion of permitting and financing, the release said. 

“We are excited to be working with the City of Madison and the Lake Area Improvement Corporation in bringing safe and sustainable shrimp to the US consumer,” said Ziebell.  “Though we’re headquartered in Minnesota, trū Shrimp is truly a Midwest company. Building our first Harbor in Madison reaffirms our commitment to the broader region.”

“South Dakota is pleased to welcome its newest corporate citizen, trū Shrimp, to Madison,” said South Dakota Gov., Dennis Daugaard. “The growing aquaculture industry, led by trū Shrimp, is not only a great fit for Madison, but also a natural fit for our state’s agricultural heritage.”

trū Shrimp calls its facilities “Harbors” to reflect these new processes and says this new approach will revolutionize the way seafood companies meet the demands of their customers. trū Shrimp’s processes enable shrimp to grow in shallow water that is cleaned and reused.