Blog: Live from Hong Kong, Day 2

Editor’s note: Check SeafoodSource regularly for updates from the second annual Asian Seafood Exposition, which runs through Thursday. SeafoodSource Editor Steven Hedlund is reporting and blogging from the three-day event, which takes place at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center. 

Click here for Day 1’s blog. 

8:45 a.m. — I’m back at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center, prepping for Day 2 of the three-day event. There’s a lot going on today. I’m participating in a conference featuring officials from the Japanese government, so be on the lookout for a report at around 4 p.m. today. Yesterday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan organized its first media event since the 11 March earthquake and tsunami. It’s been a difficult year for Japan — a deadly typhoon struck central Japan on Monday. Also, the winner of the Hong Kong round of the Lobster Chef of the Year competition, sponsored by Shucks Maine Lobster, will be unveiled at around 2 p.m. today.

9:30 a.m. — Before the aisles fill up with visitors in 30 minutes, I had a chance to talk to Katsuhiko Chinzei of Rumi Japan, part of Morimatsu Suisan Reito Co. Ltd., about the company’s premium hamachi, or yellowtail. Raised in southwestern Japan, the fish are fed a feed containing green tea and Konbu kelp that improves the quality of the meat and prevents the bloodline from changing in color from red to brown when it’s filleted. The feed was developed by Chubu Shiryo. “We’ve received so much positive feedback” from customers and potential customers, said Chinzei.

Rumi Japan also harvests, processes and packages its hamachi in two to three hours to ensure the product’s quality. “The more time you spend, the more quality you lose,” said Chinzei. Much of its hamachi is exported to the United States, but the company is trying to expand its hamachi sales in Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

10:25 a.m. — Peru is exhibiting at the Asian Seafood Exposition for the first time this year, and Karl Berger Cisneros, who works in the specialist seafood division of PromPeru, Peru’s export and tourism promotion board, talked mainly about expanding exports of three Peruvian seafood items — giant squid, scallops and rainbow trout — in key Asian markets like Hong Kong.

For rainbow trout, it’s an introduction, as this is the first time that the product is being pushed in Asia by Peruvian companies. The rainbow trout is produced by Piscis, which raises the fish in raceways in the Andes and debones the fillets manually at the company’s processing facility. Though the quality of the trout is superb, said Cisneros, it’s not an easy sell in Asia, because salmon is already so well established here. Piscis shipped its first two containers of trout to Taiwan recently. Cisneros is also representing Comex Andina, which produces giant squid, and Prisco, which exports scallops, anchovy, abalone and sea cucumber.

11:30 a.m. — Patrick Goubier, executive chef of Chez Patrick, works his magic as he squares off against four other chefs in the Hong Kong round of the Lobster Chef of the Year competition. The winner will be unveiled in about two-and-a-half hours. 

Check out the SeafoodSource Facebook page for photos of Goubier. And don’t forget to “like” SeafoodSource.

12:45 p.m. — I’m off to the conference on Japanese seafood, which takes place in a meeting room near the show floor from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Speakers included Toru Iwasaki, consul of the Consulate-General of Japan here in Hong Kong; Koji Nanbu, deputy director of the export promotion division, part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan’s Japan; and Mr. Hiromi Isa, director of the fishery products trade office, also part of the Fisheries Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. Following the conference, I’m sitting down with the three officials. Click here to read the story.

2:15 p.m. — And the winner is… Patrick Goubier, executive chef of Chez Patrick. He won the Hong Kong round of the Lobster Chef of the Year competition. Click here to read the story.

5:20 p.m. — Day 2 of the Asian Seafood Exposition is winding down. The aisles are beginning to clear out, but a reception featuring representatives from consulates, embassies and trade commissions is drawing quite a crowd. Thursday is the last day of the event, and I’ll be scouring the show floor for more news. So check back here tomorrow.

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