Leadership Transition at Murray Cod Australia Signals Commercial Shift

In Short

• Leadership Change: Former Patties Foods and Nutrano executive Steven Chaur will step in as MD and CEO effective 20 April.
• Strategic Pivot: The company is moving from infrastructure building to a "commercial-first" focus, targeting domestic grocery, foodservice, and wholesale expansion.
• Regional Investment: MCA will continue to upgrade Riverina-based on-farm technology and processing to scale the "AQUNA" brand.

Murray Cod Australia Limited (ASX:MCA) has announced a transition in its executive leadership, with Steven Chaur appointed as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Mr Chaur, who has served as a Non-Executive Director on the MCA Board since January 2025, is scheduled to formally assume the dual roles on 20 April. The appointment signals a strategic shift for the producer, which operates extensive aquaculture infrastructure across the Riverina and Murray-Darling Basin.

The company has indicated that the next phase of its development will move toward "increased focus on domestic channel expansion, revenue growth and operating efficiencies." Mr Chaur’s background includes executive tenures at Patties Foods, Nutrano Produce Group, and George Weston Foods.

MCA Chairman Brett Paton stated that Mr Chaur’s commercial background is viewed as a primary asset for the company’s upcoming objectives.

“Steven has been tasked with achieving sustainable growth of our products and premium AQUNA brand through domestic channel expansion, increasing national foodservice, grocery and wholesale presence, new product development and operational efficiency” Mr Paton said. “His broad food sector skill set is well suited to the company’s requirements,” Mr Paton said.

Local Infrastructure and Market Expansion

For the communities of the Riverina region of NSW, where MCA’s pond-based farming and processing footprint is located, the CEO’s mandate includes continued investment in regional facilities. Mr Chaur noted that the company intends to "continue to invest in on-farm technology, harvesting, fish processing and distribution capabilities to improve efficiency, consistency and scalability of operations."

Regarding the market position of the company's AQUNA brand, Mr Chaur stated that opportunities were substantial.

“The opportunity for the company’s AQUNA-branded Murray Cod is substantial, with strong momentum to further establish its position as a premium, delicate and versatile white-flesh fish,” Mr Chaur said. 

“We’ll focus on deepening penetration within fine-food markets both domestically and internationally, while simultaneously expanding accessibility through new product innovation, broadening domestic distribution channels and the introduction of a multi-tiered brand strategy.”

Branding and Distribution Targets

The incoming CEO highlighted that the company seeks to leverage the existing reputation of the species to reach a broader consumer base.

“AQUNA Murray Cod is regarded as a chef-quality, premium Australian whitefish, recognised for its clean flavour, versatility and strong sustainability credentials. We offer customers and consumers a high-quality product often described as the ‘Wagyu of fish’, a reflection of AQUNA’s premium provenance and eating quality. The opportunity for AQUNA Murray Cod is to build on that reputation by making this level of quality more consistently accessible, through a branded, multi-tier offering available to more customers that broadens appeal without diluting its premium position,” Mr Chaur said.

Mr Chaur further detailed plans to expand market penetration with major retailers and hospitality partners, focusing on both fresh and frozen formats, including value-added products.

Murray Cod Australia was publicly listed on the ASX in 2017. Its operations remain centered on pond-based aquaculture within the native environment of the Murray-Darling Basin.