Cargill, the United States' largest privately held company, is on the lookout for deals within traditional protein, including seafood, as well as alternative protein as more customers ask the company to apply its capabilities more broadly in the global seafood value chain, a spokesperson with the company told IntraFish.

However, the company remained tight-lipped on any potential acquisitions or partnerships in its sights.

Cargill first entered aquaculture in significant way through the acquisition of EWOS, a salmon-focused nutrition firm, in 2015 for $1.52