North Pacific Seafoods, Inc. (NPSI), a subsidiary of Japan’s Marubeni Corporation, is moving along with its plans to acquire two processing plants near the Anchorage area from Alaska-based company, Inlet Fish Producers.
The plants in questions – the Kenai Plant and Kasilof Plant – will serve to boost NPSI’s seafood production volume by 5,000 metric tons to 62,000 metric tons, as well as grant the company added access to plentiful stores of pink salmon and sockeye salmon in southcentral fishing grounds. NSPI hopes that with the acquisition of the two plants, it will be able to expand its Alaskan seafood operation and supply fresh salmon to the U.S., a key market for Marubeni.
“Alaskan seafood, including wild salmon, is well managed by U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service and Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Their systems for wild seafood sustainability are highly regarded by consumers around the world. In this sense, it is also very significant for NPSI to increase Alaskan seafood production while securing these rare fish resources,” explained Marubeni on the importance of the plant acquisitions.
Additionally, NPSI is anticipating “more efficient production and purchase operations with the acquisition of the existing Kodiak Plant.”
New plant specifics are as follows:
