The process
At Phans, we ferment according to tradition, with today's raw materials: North Sea bycatch and locally grown seaweeds. This is how we make sauces that reduce waste, support fishermen, and bring flavour with an eye on the future.
From bycatch
to fish sauce
Before Phans hits the stores, there's a whole process involved. Our fish sauces are made in the traditional Vietnamese way and aged for at least 1 year. Only then is it bottled or processed into our other products. Time and patience ensure the full, layered flavor that makes Phans so special.
Origin & supply
Urk fishermen catch fish in the North Sea.
We purchase the remaining bycatch
and process it at our facility in Urk.
Salting & preparation
We mince the fish and mix it with a minimum of 20% sea salt. The salt is given
3 days to fully penetrate.
Pressing & starting fermentation
We press the fish mass; the resulting liquid then undergoes natural fermentation at a controlled temperature.
Maturation to depth
First 4 months of fermentation, followed by
8 months of maturation. A total of 12 months for maximum flavour and balance.
Quality check & bottling
We check taste, salinity, safety, and histamine. Then we filter, bottle, and label. Ready for use!
From seaweed to
flavour maker
For our plant-based sauces, we use locally, organically grown seaweed from the Oosterschelde, such as Royal Kombu and Wakame. These varieties grow from small shoots into several-meter-long kelp in just a few months.
From seedling to kelp
Small seedlings are attached to ropes and grow into large kelp plants within a few months in the Oosterschelde.
Sun & sea
As winter seaweeds, they only need sunlight and clean seawater, until the temperature reaches 13 to 14 degrees.
Harvest Time
If the kelp is large enough, it is harvested with the BRU22 and transported to our grower's processing facility
in Yerseke.
Ultimate taste
We receive the seaweed fresh from our grower and process it in our own factory. There it is infused, allowing the full, salty umami flavor to emerge.
Quality check & bottling
After careful filtering and taste balancing, we bottle our plant-based fish sauce: authentic in taste and made for the future.
