Monkeys by the Sea: creating the next generation of seafood
2026-10-30
For more than thirteen years, Thijs Wullems worked across the international seafood industry. He visited wholesale markets, processing facilities and fishing operations, and negotiated between producers, retailers and food service companies. That experience now forms the foundation of Monkeys By The Sea, a Dutch company creating food products inspired by seafood and made with plant-based ingredients from land and sea.
The company does not tell people to stop eating fish. Instead, it wants to show that familiar flavours, textures and nutritional benefits can be enjoyed differently.
From seafood to a different path
Thijs Wullems grew up in Zeeland, a province in the Netherlands, and was rarely far from the coast. His career gave him experience throughout the seafood value chain, from sourcing and processing to packaging, logistics and sales.
Seaweed entered his work early. While working with mussels and oyster growers, he also sold sea vegetables such as salicornia and sea lavender. Later, he helped an overseas seaweed company introduce cultivated Ulva and Gracilaria to European customers.
The decisive turning point came during an encounter with a whale shark, while his children were swimming nearby. The beauty of the animal made him question both his role in preserving the Ocean as well as how he should spend the next stage of his career.
“I thought, what am I doing?” he recalls. “I could have continued in seafood for another twenty years, but it no longer felt like the right path. I wanted to use my experience for something positive and for the next generation.”
In 2021, that idea became Monkeys By The Sea.
Why Monkeys By The Sea?
The name reflects the company’s playful identity and ingredient philosophy. According to Wullems, the inspiration came from research into primates living near the sea. These animals were found to have slightly larger brains than members of the same species living inland, which researchers linked to a diet containing seaweed, shellfish and other marine nutrients. This idea inspired the company to combine ingredients from both land and sea.
Monkeys By The Sea uses purified seawater, dried seaweed, microalgae, algal oil and plant proteins. Most ingredients are sourced locally, particularly from Zeeland and West Brabant.
Its range includes seafood inspired fillets, Ocean Chunks, salads, snacks and bread products containing ulva, dulse, chlorella and spirulina. Every product is made using purified seawater from the Oosterschelde.
Made for people who enjoy fish
The company mainly targets flexitarians rather than vegans. It wants to reach people who enjoy fish but are looking for more plant-based, healthy and locally produced choices.
Wullems sometimes compares the approach with alcohol free beer. People do not choose it because they dislike beer. They choose it because it offers a familiar experience without the disadvantages of alcohol. That same principle applies to Ocean Chunks; designed to resemble tuna in flavor, texture, protein content and omega 3 content. Chefs can use them in salads, sauces and pizzas. The same familiar experience of tuna, but without the disadvantages of mercury, microplastics and the problems around overfishing and ocean degradation.
The company deliberately describes its products as “seafood inspired” rather than exact replacements.
“We make enjoyable products that chefs and consumers can prepare in familiar ways,” says Wullems. “They resemble seafood, but they are not intended to be a complete one to one replacement.”
The role of seaweed
Seaweed is important, but it is never added only for its sustainability story. Taste comes first. Dulse and ulva can add savoury flavors, blue spirulina provides color, and algal oils deliver omega 3 without relying on fish. Yet the balance is delicate.
“Up to a certain percentage, seaweed can make a product a lot more enjoyable,” Wullems explains. “Above that point, it can become too salty, metallic or overpowering. It’s a delicate balance”
He welcomes collaboration with seaweed producers and food companies. “Because seaweed is ultimately the most Ocean friendly source of food taken from the Ocean, I believe it also underwrites the necessity of Ocean stewardship for future generations – totally in line with our mission”
Building a new market
Monkeys By The Sea currently focuses on food service. Its products are used by large caterers, bakery chains, museums, theme parks and hospitality businesses, including the Ocean Chunks salad served at Artis Zoo
The team works closely with chefs because the category still needs explanation. Tastings and direct contact help them understand how the products fit into menus.
Creating demand remains the greatest challenge. Wullems sees a parallel with the European seaweed sector. Producers need customers, while customers need reliable products and clear applications.
Within five years, he hopes Monkeys By The Sea will make seafood inspired products available in markets around the world. The wider ambition remains simple: a healthier ocean for future generations and a different way of thinking about what we take from it.
Want to know more? Visit their website or reach out to @Thijs Wullems
