Russian Fisherу Company's (RFC) output of deep-processed products was up 22 percent year-on-year during the first six months of 2021, reflecting the company’s shift to producing more value-added seafood. The total shows a marked increase in deep-processed product output, given the growth of such products was just 15 percent in Q1 2021 compared to Q1 2020.
A few years ago, RFC announced its plan to process all its catch onboard vessels to sell seafood with high added value – such as fillets, surimi, minced pollock, and herring fillets – instead of raw materials.
The company’s strategy went in two parallel directions: building new vessels equipped with processing facilities and developing new markets, both domestic and abroad.
On 25 July, RFC’s third vessel of the series of supertrawlers, which had its keel laid in July 2020, was launched in St. Petersburg. The vessel will be commissioned in 2022, and will be part of the 11-vessel fleet of supertrawlers worth RUB 80 billion (USD 1.1 billion, EUR 910 million). Each new vessel is designed to catch 60,000 MT of fish annually, 2.5 times higher than the productivity of the vessels now in operation, RFC said in a press release.
The first ship of the series was handed over to the company in 2020, which boosted the company’s capacities and allowed for more supply – reflected in RFC’s high activity on markets. In 2021, the company signed contracts with Viciunai Group, Meridian, Santa Bremor, and KVEN.
Additionally, in 2020, about 1,000 MT of the company's pollock fillets were supplied to consumers, and that total is set to see an increase to 5,000 MT a year in 2021 and 2022.
RFC has also been increasing its focus on the lucrative Chinese market, despite trading difficulties. From April 2020 to April 2021, RFC signed contracts to supply more than 5,000 MT of pollock fillet to Chinese consumers, including the KFС fast-food chain. Among other new partners is Qingdao-based Chang International – whose brand Ocean Gala is one of the top seafood brands in China. Chang Qingdao sells RFC’s products to the high-end supermarket chain Olé and to Disneyland Shanghai.
In January 2021, the first 600 MT of pollock fillets provided by RFC was contracted for the Japanese market. Other significant overseas markets for RFC are Europe, North America, and Africa.
Photo courtesy of Russian Fishery Company
