Japanese seafood firm Nissui has announced that it will fully acquire all shares of Chilean salmon-farming firm Pesquera Yadrán via its subsidiary Salmones Antartica in a USD 133 million (EUR 113 million) deal that is expected to close in January 2026.
The move will make Pesquera Yadrán, including its six subsidiaries, wholly owned by Nissui, according to a 16 December filing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
“To realize the company’s long-term vision, the company aims to establish a stable business portfolio by 2030 in which the Food Products Business and the Marine Products Business are well-balanced, with overseas marine products and food products businesses, aquaculture business, and Fine Chemicals Business serving as growth drivers,” Nissui said on its website regarding the purchase. “Among these, the aquaculture business, alongside the Fine Chemicals Business, is recognized as a priority growth area expected to achieve an operating profit margin of 10 percent or more. Strengthening the aquaculture business is considered a key factor not only for the Marine Products Business but also for improving the profitability of the entire Nissui Group.”
In explaining why it targeted Pesquera Yadrán in particular, Nissui made particular note of the Chilean firm’s expertise in farming and processing fresh Atlantic salmon, a salmonid for which it said global demand is expanding. It also valued the Chilean firm’s sales channels to overseas markets, including the U.S.
The Japanese company said that with the deal, it will look to expand its scale of aquaculture operations, enhance processing and sales networks, and pursue efficiency improvements.
“Leveraging the company’s strength in Nissui Global Links, we will create various synergies and [enhance] value chain resilience,” it said.
Nissui has signaled interest for some time in expanding its salmon-farming footprint in Chile.
The firm originally entered the Chilean market with its 1988 purchase of Salmones Antarctica, which has operations between southern Chile’s Biobío and Aysén regions and a processing plant on the island of Chiloé.
In recent investor presentations, Nissui indicated that it wants to continue expanding its aquaculture business, focusing on strengthening stocking and grow-out segments. The firm has said it is actively investing in expansion abroad, which is progressing as planned.
The acquisition announcement comes soon after Nissui recently reported an increase in sales and operating profit in the first half of its 2025 fiscal year, which it attributed to moderate economic growth in the Japanese economy.
For the six-month period spanning from 1 April to 30 September, Nissui reported revenue of JPY 452.9 billion (USD 2.9 billion, EUR 2.47 billion), up 2.8 percent over the JPY 440.6 billion (USD 2.8 billion, EUR 2.41 billion) it reported in the same period of the prior fiscal year. Operating profit climbed as well, reaching JPY 19.7 billion (USD 126 million, EUR 107 million), up 14.6 percent from the JPY 17.2 billion (USD 110 million, EUR 94 million) it posted in the same period of the prior year.
