How Africa’s First Caviar Won Over Michelin-Starred Restaurants In Europe | Big Business

In 2009, French entrepreneurs took a massive gamble: building a luxury industry in one of the world’s poorest countries. Before Acipenser, no companies had successfully farmed caviar in Africa. Today, its caviar is served in Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe. How did they get customers from around the world to take a chance on African caviar? And why is it so expensive to raise sturgeon for "black gold"?
Correction: At 3:53, Business Insider misstated the species of fish that Acipenser releases into Lake Mantasoa. It is Tilapia, not male Sturgeon. An earlier version of this story misstated the amount of feed Acipenser produces each month. It is about 60 metric tons per month, not 60 kilograms.
00:00 - Intro
01:08 - How They Raise Thousands Of Fish
04:00 - Why It Costs Over $130,000 A Month To Feed Sturgeon
09:17 - How They Remove Caviar From Sturgeon
11:45 - Why China's Caviar Farms Dominate The Market
12:44 - Inside A Michelin-Starred Restaurant Serving Rova Caviar
14:18 - How They've Invested Back Into Madagascar
15:56 - Credits
Thank you to Acipenser:
rova-caviar.com/en-FR
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How Africa’s First Caviar Won Over Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Europe | Big Business

[@shinggeul3447]

I would totally support this type of company that gives back to the community they operate out of.

[@L333gok]

Same, but tbh I don’t like how it’s in Africa. I just would feel uncomfy imagining my food being processed and touched by dirty hands. I’d feel more comfy if it was Asian or European workers

[@dangummoe]

No no no! That's communism

[@derkeksuchtige3416]

@@L333gokEntrepreneur 😋😋😋👀👀👀

[@burningpipe2627]

The community they operate out of literally did nothing. How about they starting doing something worth earning?

[@arkantos006]

Without thinking about the ecological damage ?

[@omarspost]

Normally I'd hate on western companies trying to exploit people in poor countries, but this firm has got absolutely everything covered. Wage, safety, training, work ethic, staff welfare, housing, food, subcontracting locally, sustainable resource use, etc. There's no way a big company or cooperation would do this. Hats off to the French lady who made it all happen. Genuinely impressed.

[@EasilyCringed]

Oh my goodness "exploit poor people" give me a break 😅

[@erik3371]

This is exploiting natural resources. They didn't need Europeans for this. So you are still on the colonisers side. 😂

[@seliamila1005]

@@EasilyCringed its true tho, have you ever worked a job, ever

[@omargjuarez1]

Since when is caviar considered "western"

[@ernestogastelum9123]

@@omargjuarez1 since when did the OP said that caviar was "western". the company those people work is a Western company because the CEO is a Western person

[@jenriquevaporize7749]

This must probably be the most hands on company that I have ever seen in terms of caring for their worker. The absolute best.

[@henrycooper3431]

While i see other companies that do alot more for their employees, this company is definitely better than alot of companies right now.

[@magoth23]

It's european. If this was a company made by american entrepeneurs those workers would be paid way less and probably have lesser working conditions. A lot of european countries force their entrepeneurs to implement a lot of worker benefits. It's called socialism.

[@barnmaddo]

Eh it's basically a company town though. They are the equivalent of benevolent dictators, but they are still dictators.

[@actualiygod6782]

You know they going for a bit of PR.. three times the minum wage is still just 70 Cents an hour for a luxury cavier firm.

[@fletcher5148]

the minimum wage in malagasy africa is 0.14 USD per hour on the high end. the amazing "3 times over the minimum wage" claim they made works out to be .42 cents an hour per worker, they said they staff over 300 workers, so they are paying a combined $126 usd per hour for 300 workers. i wouldn't be so quick to rise up and praise what an incredibly job they're doing

[@danielshuy]

People commenting that 3x the minimum wage is still not enough don’t understand that raising wages too high relative to the surrounding will cause massive inflation in the region (like in Silicon Valley), which actually does more harm that good. What they’re doing - providing skilled job opportunities and training, and not to mention free lodging, amenities and meals, even though they don’t need to, goes a much longer way to help the community than just high wages

[@yoko312]

Also, most people don't understand their minimum wage goes much farther than a wage in the USA.

[@quamefumbanks]

​@@yoko312 exactly

[@MbisonBalrog]

lol no it does not. It is money already in circulation. What causes inflation is fractional reserve banking.

[@benhayat9885]

@@MbisonBalrog ? that is A reason. you do realise that inflation has many influences hence why we don't have full control of it.

[@TheInfectous]

@@MbisonBalrog this is not a normal economy, there is not an abundance of supply. If you give people a lot of money and they increase demand for a very limited supply, what do you think will happen to the price and how is anyone else in this market going to compete with the small group of people being funded by a westerner from a relatively much stronger economy?

[@surfacematter2098]

I dont even think I like caviar but I would absolutely start buying some of thiers JUST because they CHOSE to basically create an ecosystem and economy. Plus, that one woman who said, "Now I am an expert" is absolutely PROUD of that and its wonderful.

[@DaaClaptain]

You do know what company towns are right? Also ecosystem? What is the new species being introduced impact on the local ecosytem? Who knows but at least we know they will be in full swing by 2026. Not to mention labor and materials are cheap there but they sell 1 kilo for 5000 bucks. Truly not more colonalism by the french in africa while the west cries about colonalism.

[@sighfly2928]

Does the mass consumption of a foetus not disgust you? I always imagine an alien species invading earth and starting to consume human embryos/foetus, could you imagine what that would feel like as a species. I suppose if we don’t feel any guilt we shouldn’t expect any sympathy if the same happens to us.

[@DecrepitBiden]

You can buy normal female fish with eggs inside them, just gotta know which fish, from asian grocery stores. I, myself, never eaten these expensive caviars, but have eaten normal fish eggs before. It's good.

[@papa_pt]

​@@sighfly2928if only humans could lay unfertilized eggs

[@Sagittariusastar182]

I agree! 😊

[@Echo_Rin]

So on one hand, fish farms arent great. This is almost a company town, its never good to rely on your employer for housing, food, and safety. BUT, a lot of these people were unemployed before. They seem healthy and safe, proper ppe, training, lots of female workers in hands-on positions. I think the good this company is doing (as far as we're aware) outweighs the negatives

[@X-SPONGED]

I initially thought this is going to be Hershey city all over again but seeing the conditions, they actually seem pretty well off. I just hope I don't eat my words anytime soon

[@dexterc1884]

Most people that complain arent entrepreneurs, so they dont know the risk of building such a farm. Building facilities and training staff cost money. They provide everything for the workers. The salary they get is almost pure savings.

[@pamphlex]

The true gift to Madagascar is this Lady who invested herself into Madagascar and its people.

[@YoutubeArtProject]

This is just so incredibly!!! Woa😮

[@whatislifebuttheenjoymento3405]

How is this any better do you understand the magnitude of shit that fish will fuse into the water? Destroying the water source of hundreds

[@meeee154]

she runs a company town in a country that was a french colony not 100 years ago, clearly the bonds of colonialism have not broken. Company towns were notorious in America and Europe during the industrial revolution because those people lose their housing if they get fired. imagine how much more freedom those people would have if she just payed them enough to cover housing and food.

[@ThorsMjollnir0341]

@@meeee154 Midwit

[@bannanafruitsalad]

@@ThorsMjollnir0341 Why don't you try engaging with the criticism?

[@momogallas]

Excellent to see a company investing in the people and teaching them new skills. Not just going for the cheap labour and using them. Well done 👍 😊

[@TheTotallyRealXiJinping]

It’s still cheap labour. 3 x 0 is still 0

[@cynicaldreams4301]

​@@TheTotallyRealXiJinping yeah that was definitely a large gamble. it would have been one if they tried to build up where the market is already established. this is just well marketed exploitation

[@punch1t]

@@TheTotallyRealXiJinping giving them 3x minimum wage doesnt make them cheap labour anymore. if you would work there, you might say that they are paying you not enough because your expenses are a LOT higher. if someone needs 1k a month and gets paid 1.8k they are happy. if you need 5k a month and get paid 5.6k you should be happy, right? its more then you need. its a question about perspective.

[@TheTotallyRealXiJinping]

@@punch1t 3 times 0 equals 0.

[@ThisWontFly]

@@TheTotallyRealXiJinping (1) It's 3 x a Malagasy minimum salary, which, while small, is not zero. (2) You're a troll doing the broken record and engaging you is probably a mistake...

[@shaneintegra]

Wow that company is absolutely amazing! Never seen a company do so much for the community and workers

[@plainlake]

I have been to Madagascar and still keep in touch with some of those I met. Honest, trusting and peaceful people in a beautiful, resource-rich country who have been taken advantage of by just about everyone. All that country needs is an honest chance.

[@chuckjones7218]

The reinvestment into the local community is absolutely awesome. If every company supported those that actually make them money the world would thrive.

[@EricaHansberry]

Kudos to this company for investing back into the country and not just taking advantage of it. This is beautiful to see. Wishing them much success.

[@DaaClaptain]

Some ones never read their history on company towns.

[@EricaHansberry]

@@DaaClaptain Obviously not. Statement based on this report.

[@XxBen08xX]

This french lady is very inspiring, nothing but respect for what she did and what she provides to her workers

[@leowatley]

it's awesome to see a company that invests in it's workers on such a grand scale. i wish more companies would operate like this.

[@riadulislam1816]

I like companies like these that help the community. Good on them and I hope they out do the competition

[@DaaClaptain]

You do know what company towns are right?

[@volca8421]

Fish farming usually isn't too friendly to the environment

[@SubjectiveFunny]

@@volca8421 Human life isnt friendly for the environment either. Everything comes at the cost of something else. All we can do it manage it as best we can.

[@NanoDeer]

Sturgeon meat is really tasty, and distinctive. Those local fisherman catching the males have got a rare treat available to them.

[@knightrider693]

I'm impressed by the cleanliness of the plant

[@FaizalSatya]

Excellent work on helping the local community. One of the best Big Business episode I watched.

[@gekisen01]

Way more interesting than I was expecting. What an amazing operation!

[@adelaideonaplane]

The margins appear very healthy. This company pays 3x the minimum wage. The minimum wage in Madagascar is $40 USD a month.

[@jkbzz]

The challenge with this type of thinking is that many here believe that any company that pays 3x the minimum wage is doing great things to for that society. 3X the minimum wage isn't likely moving the needle that much, not in western countries and certainly not in African countries. The world is more connected than it was many years ago and everyone is exposed to inflation one way or the other. The founders deserve to make their profit but I am not sure they need to spin that as some type of benevolence. It is what it is.

[@Cyyanss]

@@jkbzz That's overcomplicating things to be fair. Its unreasonable to expect a caviar producer to realistically instigate serious economic change across a country. Its not a lot of money but 40 dollers there is a lot more then here, and is a lot better then what they got before for pay by the sound of it.

[@SubjectiveFunny]

@@jkbzz You have NO idea of their revenue generation. You are purely speculating. A company like this provides opportunities for the locals, opportunities that would not exist without them. 1% of something, is better than 100% of nothing. How you people always try to find the negatives is incredibly frustrating..

[@MrOrangeSmash]

you have any idea what would happen if they started just handing out $2000/2500 a month wages in a place where the minimum wage is $40? something tells me you don't.

[@icodestuff6241]

@@SubjectiveFunny ignore them, these are the same type of people that tried to cancel Mr beast for "exploiting poor africans for views" by building them wells

[@tee4222]

Three times the minimum wage comes to roughly $85 USD per month. In case anyone was wondering.

[@archivelegendsofthehiddent7089]

So the french luxury company went there to exploit the workers. Sounds about right.

[@udishomer5852]

They do provide free housing and three meals a day.

[@GariFFUSA]

This should be at the top!

[@razatiger22]

Thats such bullshit, this company spends 130k a month just on feed and thats not even counting how much it costs to run the facilities and machines, if this company is to be profitable, we are to assume they make 10s of millions a year. If they are paying these people $85 a month x 300 people, thats 25k in monthly wages for the entire working staff or 300k a year. Thats likely less then 3% of the companies annual revenue. In the west, companies are expected to pay close to 70% of their revenue in labor. In reality what i'm trying to say is that the owners of this company are practically modern day slavers. They are likely walking away with millions annually to run this operation and the locals are walking away with scraps. I'd also bet everything that this company pays absolutely no taxes to operate in Madagascar.

[@GariFFUSA]

Exactly. And that woman is all posh saying they lift people out of poverty lmao

[@sagarr353]

The best part was - Ultrasound scanning for fishes

[@06jtm]

Knowing a company does so much to help the locals is fantastic. I will be asking specifically for Rova’s caviar whenever I get the chance going forward

[@Katze5335]

Caviar is so damn good, but it had to be way cheaper and less regulation in Africa though to produce it. 3x the minimum wage is still probably peanuts. That being said, if it still benefits the locals then 🤷‍♂️

[@zachbonvallat6586]

About $5 a day they make which is pretty normal for Africa...

[@nunyadambusiness3530]

@@zachbonvallat6586 Should do $15/day, (middle class levels) and then raise with Inflation or Profit rates.

[@punch1t]

@@nunyadambusiness3530 you cant calculate everything with usd. if the price of living there is minimum wage, and you get 3x that, you are good to go. sure, they should get more, no one is saying that they shouldnt, but people always think "in the us people make 100k a year and dont have enough so people who make 1.5k a year must be dying" which is kinda not true

[@L333gok]

@@nunyadambusiness3530 Giving factory workers a middle class wage would probably cause some issues with the economy tbh

[@mrjjman2010]

@@L333gokok elon

[@blt4life112]

Releasing the males for locals to catch is such an awesome move.

[@droogsurgeon1440]

Ceci est incroyable! Wish more companies would invest locally like you. ❤

[@pulutovito0073]

Bless the company. Love the narration.

[@Nike427]

I'm absolutely blown away by this. I love the idea of the caviar and how delicious this can be. But how much of a positive effect this company is having with the locals and community and putting back into it is amazing

[@saxongoold7832]

An incredible achievement 👏👏

[@i_am_ironman3380]

This is good to see. Gives hope in humanity

[@_eaturveggies01]

Corporations in USA should support their employees with similar EAPs like the free housing and grocery store (if they can).

[@adamknipe216]

Never tried caviar and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything

[@scuffedjays3862]

This was a beautiful video wow

[@natashapeters4323]

This is how things should be done. Brilliant!

[@rovacaviar8964]

Thank you for your comment 🌿

[@i_am_the_monkey_king]

Absolutely wholesome and informative. I wish only the best for this company. ✨

[@drrobotnik5265]

Seems a bit dated, there are no kill caviar techniques nowadays.

[@_Kyprioth_]

This is exactly how foreign industries should operate when located in developing nations! Employ the locals, give them a liveable wage (or higher), purchase raw materials from local sources opposed to importing, and provide employees with education and skills allowing all of these aspects to have a trickle-down effect on local communities! This isn’t charity by any means. This is giving an entire community of people the tools to be self-sufficient. Education can become a reality for children and young people where it may not have been before and those young people can then possibly choose to apply those skills at the same company that facilitated their ability to do so. Such a great example of ethical business practices in an area of the world which could otherwise be exploited by other industries and companies.

[@SergeyRyabenko]

Very inspiring. Company, if everything said is true, deserves huge success.

[@marksewe114]

Simply amazing...

[@lostonearth7856]

That's just a company town. If stuff like food grown just comes from this closed economy, I dont know how it can improve the wider economy as it just seems the economy of this place is closed off to just this small area.

[@syzmak137]

Delphyne,Jérôme ,Je ne sais comment vous présenter mes félicitations pour ce projet aussi incongru qu’incroyable !En tant qu’Africain ayant passé sa tendre adolescence en Russie ,vous ne pouvez pas savoir combien cette idée de caviar africain ,me touche !Encore une fois grand bravo!

[@saeeddali3145]

a win-win situation for everyone involved. great work.

[@utkarshkothimbire1484]

Very inspiring. By doing business they are enabling locals upbringing.

[@TimelessWealthMentor]

Absolutely wonderful to see a company employ and train so many locals! It deserves to be supported...hope more high-end restaurants can embrace its product.

[@donaldvanvliet9039]

A lot of commenters seem to buy into the feel good story. How is this not ‘colonialism’ Another european business gets outsourced to a third world country where they create a closed economy around the fish farm and raise a cheap company town that controls the local area. They introduce a foreign fish species into a local ecosystem (what could possibly go wrong) If aciper finds another location where they can produce the caviar even more cheap, they will relocate and the local economy collapses. Wonderful stuff guys😂

[@Chooopy]

@@donaldvanvliet9039 How is it not colonialism? Because it isn't by the very definition of the word. But leave it to those, like you, who don't know what they're talking about to act surprised when everyone else doesn't acknowledge your made up definition of an overused buzzword. The way to pull Africa out of poverty is to invest in Africa. Yet anytime a company does, you want to call it colonialism. I'm starting to think the people who cry "colonialism" would rather have a country rot than have its economy improve. You're pretending like you care about these African countries, but you'd rather the workers live in poverty than let a European company employ them. Gross.

[@Carmela-bixoxo]

Interesting but what is the environmental impact of the operation and importing foreign fish to these waters

[@paulcorcoran534]

The released sturgeon are bottom feeders so not hurting the other species native to the water. Looks like the impact it may have is greatly outweighed by the benefits of jobs and industry to the local population.

[@ggonguet]

@@paulcorcoran534 thats a very big oversight on the impact they have. larger sturgeon are also piscivorous as well and will eat native species. being bottom feeders only means they now compete with other indigenous species that occupy the same habitat within the water column as the sturgeon. Not to mention the many other impacts the sturgeon have on the inorganic factors of the lake which in turn impact the organic.

[@Cantbearsed447]

​@@ggonguetlimited by that they are only male. I cant imagine they are like asian carp

[@alexis1156]

I'm sure that the starving people of Africa give a damn about your virtue signaling about the environment while they can finally buy some food on a regular basis for themselves.

[@johnallenbailey1103]

​@@alexis1156they're only hungry where they're being robbed.

[@lightdragon3127]

god i love this, so amazing , local produce and the suportt to the workers, i suport tjos

[@babyblueboy2424]

this is excellent. what a wonderful woman with such a gift of pouring into the world and developing such a major progression. this was truly inspiring and an incredibly captivating watch. although it’s a competitive business, She seems more focused on developing than tearing down to compete. kudos to Her and the team she has. many prayers and blessings for a continual and rapid success 🙏🏽🕊️

[@SubjectiveFunny]

Initiatives like this are brilliant for Africa. Win-win for everyone.

[@emaciatedunicorn]

couple questions: how have these fish impacted the local ecosystem of this lake? they're not a native species and seem to flourish in these conditions, which should raise concern regarding invasiveness. second; how was this lake operated before this business took over? I see they let the local fisherman catch the male sturgeons, but they seem to take up a lot of real estate. While I'm glad the employees seem to be payed well and the company sources locally, this reads like gentrification to me.

[@DaaClaptain]

Its just a company town really. Its funny how up in arms people are about colonialism in the west. But yet they are celebrating a french woman for building a company town in africa which the french basically still have colonized.

[@jae1567]

Glad I'm not the only one who saw that last bit and went 😬

[@gabepesco]

​@DaaClaptain Crucially, they're not paying in company scrip, so it isn't really that similar to the company towns you're thinking of.

[@wiz3010]

Great to see the economy of Madgascar impacted so well

[@Russ-ex8so]

Grew up eating the original Caspian black caviar in Azerbaijan in the 90s. Just put it on a fresh tandir bread and butter. Its amazing.

[@JadeTaylorButAtWork]

Never seen a company that gives so much back and develops a local economy like they do. I definitely would love to see their products on the shelves and menus of restaurants of the western hemisphere. Bravo.

[@tynthesky]

Their "giving back" is called creating a company town and it's exploitative. They have a monopoly on the industry in their area so the skills the people are learning are only useful there, the peoples food and housing is tied to the company so if they can't work for whatever reason they're immediately out of housing and food and can't take the skills they learned anywhere else within reason. At any point the company could decide to start charging them for food and housing and they would essentially become indentured servants. And that is not unlikely seeing as how the entire reason they wanted to come to that area in the first place was to exploit the cheap labor. They do not deserve a pat on the back.

[@DigitalNeb]

This company is really doing great things for the community around it. Good for them.

[@tee4222]

It’s making a fortune, I’m sure. Three times the minimum wage in Madagascar is about $85 USD per month. You can see why it would be appealing to start a business there.

[@Kaotik199O]

Bro it’s because she can pay them cheap labor…. That’s why she didn’t hire and take her fellow French men 🤷🏻‍♂️ don’t be fooled… money is the way the world works

[@bottled_juice]

​@@tee4222 I think it's really a matter of perspective; 3x the minimum wage is 3x the minimum wage no matter how you slice it. Sure, it doesn't seem like much for someone in the US, but in a place like Madagascar, it's probably a much more significant amount then it would be in America. Plus since they don't need to pay for housing/food, their cost of living is probably much lower too which means they keep more of the money they make. Not saying it isn't exploitative, in a way. But I mean, for the locals, it's probably still beneficial to have the company there. Creating jobs, building the economy, paying the workers a more than liveable wage. These guys might not be spending TOO much on their workers, in the grand scheme of things, but they ARE spending on them. That's better than a lot of other companies can say.

[@tee4222]

@@bottled_juice true but it’s usually the west that creates the need for these jobs in the first place. Here’s how it usually goes: there’s a village or collection of villages that live simply. They don’t have much money but they don’t need it. Land is often just shared and they mostly live off of it. Some investor from the west sees some investment opportunity, whether a tourist attraction, hotel or a sturgeon farm. They buy big pieces of land and shortly after, others follow suit. Before long, foreign investors buy the majority of their land from the corrupt government that doesn’t live there, development ramps up and the local population gets the less desirable leftovers. Then, if you want a decent place to live and some of the new temptations that development brings, you need a job. Who has the money to offer you the best salary? Obviously the moneybag investors that are making a killing off of what used to be your land. I’m not saying it’s definitely the case here, but I’ve done a lot of traveling and been to a lot of places like this. Usually when you talk to the people and get them opening up, there’s a lot of resentment for the reasons I listed.

[@CFIREKytb]

@@tee4222 The company has 4m in revenue yearly (according to their release to get investors). They employee 300 people at $120/m (min wage is $40/m). That is around $1,100/m in revenue per employee and employee salary is $120/m. Not including any other cost in the business or employee benefit. There is a lot of people coping that its ok for a mega-rich company to pay nothing to employees, but these guys are actually paying over 10% of their revenue to the employees, which is pretty darn high compared to other industries, especially for a startup with likely no profit yet (they said they have 14 commercial costumers, that's nothing).

[@amymiller8964]

I am very impressed by there operation bc the local source and pay their workers well. And the row looks delicious. 🤤

[@KuddizaAmos]

Just learnt today what caviar is! Been hearing it in movies

[@TariqMehmood-1307]

Every Business Insider Video Europe: Classic Japan: Unique Other countries: Poor

[@johnreynolds5407]

Excellent presentation.

[@alenemarie1726]

This is insane. Major props to that lady and her investors! She has a long term plan and wants to help stabilize this country and boost the local economy this is amazing

[@zachbonvallat6586]

Love to see this!

[@YarnCrafts4lefties]

Just curious, is the flesh of the fish sold to feed people also?

[@alexeygraive1674]

i remember saw a lot of sturgeon sashimi. but not sure if its popular

[@Fishofrank]

they didn't say anything about the females, but the males are released for the local fisherman to catch and consume

[@Piusplac]

I guess shipping them do not pay off, never seen frozen sturgeon fish at the frozen fish section here in EU.

[@abbynarishkin9025]

Hey there, I'm the producer on this video. The company told me they donate the flesh of the female fish (after removing the caviar) to local orphanages. I wasn't able to confirm this with video footage, though, so we left it out of the video.

[@XxBrittany20xX]

​​@@abbynarishkin9025 nice to know. I was curious also. I've never had caviar other then cheap tiny red eggs on sushi rice at a buffet once. So in a way I've never actually had caviar. Its always looked good to me, even tho I know its raw fish eggs. Idk y. But then again, I think some bugs look tasty. I did eat and try grasshoppers, crickets and larvas. Mexican roasted with light seasoning and I liked it. Tasted nutty. Like popcorn without salt n butter. I guess I'm a adventurous eater. I like durian too. And I'm American. 😂 I do tend to like things most ppl dont tho anyway in general. Green olives, sour stuff, spicy, black licorice, pickles. I'm not really a picky eater. I'll try anything once. I don't like liver or duck. To rich for me. Gamey meats...eh...I like deer but don't like bear. I like rabbit and snake

[@germany456]

Great video, one business can help a lot of people,

[@texasarknights5637]

God bless them helping others and an nation etc ❤

[@hookedonplatypus]

I can't help but feel this video is a bit more of a business fluff piece more than usual. I mean, look at these comments. Are we just going to ignore that roe was traveled almost 10,000 kilometers just to create an invasive specie farm in a lake in some other part of the world just so the well-to-do have more eggs? Feels really gross. Good for the workers tho.

[@jrpgnation6375]

Well, that is the first head of a company that I actually respect.

[@thesaurusrex7919]

What a wonderful company ran by what seems like to notch leadership!

[@Dodo-rb4zf]

French people and Africa... What a loving story

[@Mark-mu4pj]

Great video

[@flamingcouch-mp6de]

Wish my job had that good of benefits

[@history4469]

The word only i can say is BRAVO👏

[@gandgpolaroid6406]

wow that's amazing , impressive !!

[@yoloswag1077]

6:08 she said they produced 60 kilos of fish food a month ??? Did I hear that right , that doesn't sound like it would be enough I guess there was a screw up or something

[@Henchman1977]

Probably 60kg a day? Maybe even 60kg an hour looking at how fast it was coming off that belt.

[@Henchman1977]

Maybe 60000kg a month?

[@Tker1970]

Especially since they spend $130K/month for the food. I think some zeros are missing from the 60.

[@AtaGunZ]

I give it to american producers not being able to comprehend metric. Probably meant 60 kilotons or something

[@ThatBigBlackClock]

She clearly says 60 tonnes of feed a month, which is 60,000 kg. 1 tonne = 1000 kg......

[@wauwau4896]

3:54 [...]releases the males in the lake,[...] Hmm, what about the native fish species? I don't think it is a good idea...

[@Biga101011]

True. Also... Why release them to be caught? Why not just cut out the whole step and give them to the fisherman?

[@prnzhamzah]

@@Biga101011 Releasing them gives them the opportunity to grow to their full size

[@Biga101011]

@@prnzhamzah Ah. That's a good point. I don't have a clue how much a difference in weight it would make, but I hadn't considered that. Thanks.

[@Psmerling]

They can't reproduce.

[@tubebrocoli]

@@prnzhamzah By eating what.

[@johnboswell6426]

love the way this company pays the workers well, giving them in hand a better living. This is how it should be.

[@bitsstib]

really sounds great.... they built the whole sustainable ecosystem

[@jurandfantom]

great. Introduce heavy pollution way of growing fish in stationary pool of water (poop goes directly down and sits there in bigger and bigger piles), introduction outside species that might simple run away if something happens (and things happens - wild bird, broken net, boat), and issue with external germs and parasites (unless all fish are grown from controlled source - hopefuly its a case).

[@jamescanjuggle]

yeah the video gives vibes that this isnt africas achievement, but rather some folks came around and plonked their sturgeon there

[@reznoire]

Please don't tell me you're under the impression sturgeon are an invasive species.

[@TKAT.]

They literally release the males into the lake for the fishermen...

[@pazimzadeh]

the waters around are too warm for the fish to live. however I agree about the waste, and also poor fish living in a tiny area

[@MADmidway]

Someone with Deep Pockets invested a lot of money to build this. Incredible

[@jcoynect]

Outstanding piece. Who would have thought.....?

[@iamlost2788]

Amazing video need more like it very interesting with the thought extinct sturgeon.

[@Gloszz]

Someone explain to me the point of using stainless steel bowls for processing but then a mother of pearl spoon? Thats like washing food that was mishandled the whole cycle.

[@rovacaviar8964]

Dear @Gloszz, In our production process we use stainless steel bowls to avoid oxidation. Mother of pearl bowls would be too fragile for this operation. For tasting caviar, it is recommended to use a mother of pearl spoon, but it can also be enjoyed with a bamboo, wooden, or stainless steel spoon. It's best to avoid using metal, which can oxidize the taste of the caviar. 🌿

[@AbdoTawdy]

Hoping that be reflected to the local ppl life

[@Alsry1]

Caviar isnt a lucrative business surprisingly.

[@ThisWontFly]

Well, they do say that the children of the employees can now go to school, when before they couldn't and the local people acquired new skills from the expats that are now progressively returning home. So these are two things mentioned in the documentary that have bettered the lived of at least the people that work there.

[@Patrick-nv5ug]

Love the fact they release the males for local fishing. Smoked sturgeon is a treat.

[@eljanrimsa5843]

I'm sure local fishermen will appreciate somebody gets smoked sturgeon when they can't find the kind of fish they know in the lake anymore.

[@louisazraels7072]

​@@eljanrimsa5843 sturgeons are bottom feeders and slow growers, and they only release males, not exactly an invasive species

[@adamthomas1222]

3:36 thanks for that info 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@buschinpolen]

I'm sure it doesn't influence the local eco system in any way.

[@emaciatedunicorn]

right? I kinda wish they addressed that...

[@tubebrocoli]

@@emaciatedunicorn "They release the males into the lake for the local fishermen" ah... they release the males of a foreign species into the lake. One that eats a lot. And all that's stopping this from becoming an invasive species is... *checks notes* two nets in each pen. Also the pen leeches fish poop into the lake. Also the pens are intensive (did you see the colour of the water in the pen) and more prone to catching diseases that can then spread through the local fish population. Because they're using a cheap technique that is illegal in most of the global north now. Even the aerial Chinese pens they showed show pens isolated from local waterways. No wonder they can compete with them in Madagascar...

[@JuliasDu]

Yeah, they said the farm releases male sturgeons into the local lake. Also, what if in time, the production becomes larger and they have to release more and more male sturgeons.

[@Raptor200637]

@@JuliasDu Easy, fish nuggets

[@knightrider693]

Everything we do has an impact and we have to weigh pro's and cons. This story seems like they do more good so I'm impressed

[@SwizzleStickMcGee]

Caviar & foie gras are both insanely overpriced & "okay" Neither is great on its own...and both are tremendously cruel. And I am not one of these PETA people...but maybe we shouldn't be force feeding geese or stealing fish eggs so rich people can pretend they have taste 😂

[@glarnboudin4462]

My brother in Christ, fish do not give a singular shit about their eggs once they've been laid.

[@SwizzleStickMcGee]

@@glarnboudin4462 "Most caviar comes from sturgeon, a fish that is typically raised for 10 years or more before it is killed to take its roe. Sturgeon happens to be listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list of threatened species as the most threatened group of animals."

[@glarnboudin4462]

@@SwizzleStickMcGee Somebody didn't watch the video, huh? There's been new breakthroughs with caviar farming that have been majorly helpful for boosting sturgeon populations. But yeah, keep on clutching those pearls to somebody who's worked with the damn things.

[@SwizzleStickMcGee]

@@glarnboudin4462 is it better to allow endangered animals to reproduce? Or is it better to eat their eggs? Think real hard & get back to me. 🤣

[@fletcher5148]

the minimum wage in malagasy africa is 0.14 USD per hour on the high end. the amazing "3 times over the minimum wage" claim they made works out to be .42 cents an hour per worker, they said they staff over 300 workers, so they are paying a combined $126 usd per hour for 300 workers. i wouldn't be so quick to rise up and praise what an incredibly job they're doing

[@ingusbingus8750]

thats awesome! growing the country economy and giving jobs to the locals, while also creating competition in the market!

[@icyrisrose2105]

my Fav Channel > i m loving it :>

[@sdds50]

This is the type of company to support. They hire local and invest back into the community

[@Prince_of_Winterfell]

It would cost them more not to employ locals

[@jfalk6500]

good to hear that the company is interested in doing something good for the people there, i hope that the "3 times the minimum wage" is an actually good salary adjusted for the country's prices

[@EcomCarl]

not only introduces a luxury market in Madagascar but also demonstrates a sustainable model of local employment and ecological awareness. This venture highlights how luxury industries can drive economic growth and provide substantial community benefits in developing regions.

[@prithviraj8776]

Oh, look! A tyre manufacturing company (Michelin) which rates posh restaurants presents an award to a French company (Acipenser) by selling salt-cured fish eggs (Caviar) to Europeans, while indirectly destroying habitat and depleting water resources in a poorer country (Madagascar) for huge profits. Bravo! Business as usual.

[@-AytaL-]

You need to touch grass

[@bradthackston5217]

@@-AytaL-why nothing they said was wrong it’s European caviar grown in Africa cause they can pay them a dollar a day and make 500% profit anybody with a little bit of common sense can see that.

[@glarnboudin4462]

Touch grass.

[@mck5549]

Interesting but what is the environmental impact of the operation and importing foreign fish to these waters?

[@haraldschweitzer2210]

Exactly. “Release into the lake for local fishermen to catch”… if that’s really the objective, why not just kill the fish and give it to local markets to sell? Avoid the risk of it becoming an invasive species…

[@619duke]

@@haraldschweitzer2210the males will breed with each other?

[@firething11]

@@619duke The males still have the opportunity to predate on and outcompete endemic species, and as it says in the video, sturgeons have a long lifespan.

[@rovacaviar8964]

Dear @mck5549 Thank you for your interesting comment. The Acipenser farm exclusively imported fertilized eggs, ensuring that the entire sturgeon growth process takes place in Madagascar, thus guaranteeing the adaptation of the animal to its environment. Physico-chemical data of the lake is assessed daily to avoid any negative impact on it. Additionally, thousands of fry of local species are regularly restocked in Lake Mantasoa to support regulated fishing and contribute to the lake's ecosystem.

[@ImmaSayKOOHWIP]

was NOT prepared for the first slice

[@nerd26373]

Caviar came from fish guts. The process behind it is fascinating.

[@bensantos3882]

The video should be, White French Woman and her company invested by the millions to yet another African country that had no idea how to create this amazing product. Also good job lady for coming up with this idea, and no insults to the locals since they've helped out too.

[@linnetmbotto7212]

Why should we always look for something negative?

[@user-lj3xq2zb9j]

If more companies were like Asepenser, the world would be a better place .

[@kelechioden851]

I enjoyed watching this

[@DelRae]

This wasn’t a gamble, it was a calculated cost to pay the workers bare bones because that’s better than what they get elsewhere there and profit that portion to the top

[@punch1t]

it was a gamble if you know anything about animals. you cant just take an animal who might thrive in a specific water + temp + habitat and just put it somewhere else where it might thrive and make money from it. 3x minimum wage is more then what most people there make.

[@sampendley7117]

Lets start a multi million dollar company in a poor economy so we can pay the locals a tiny wage but to them its a lot.