Kervignac, France-based Cité Marine, a subsidiary of Japanese seafood conglomerate Nissui, has acquired a tapas facility in Saint-Hernin, France, from Guyader Traiteur Frais.
The facility was acquired on 28 June 2024 and began operations as a new production division of Rezé, France-headquartered Miti, a subsidiary of Cité Marine specializing in chilled coated and frozen seafood products, on 1 July.
“The objective of the acquisition is to expand the product range of tapas products, which is our future growth category,” Nissui said in a press release.
Miti, acquired by Cité Marine in 2017, already produces shrimp tapas but will expand its range to include products made from octopus, squid, and sardines manufactured in the newly acquired Saint-Hernin plant.
“A variety of tapas are also sold in the chilled food sections of mass retailers in France. This category is growing due to the freshness and convenience of the products, which are thought highly of in France,” Nissui said. “Cité Marine has a high market share in the same chilled seafood section with the coated white fish. We are planning to extend our presence with seafood tapas products.”
Nissui said Cité Marine “has remarkably grown” its frozen and chilled whitefish and shrimp product sales since being acquired in 2007. It said its continued growth is central to the success of its “Good Foods 2030” project, a strategy rolled out in 2022 and designed to accelerate its global expansion and its overseas food business.
“With this acquisition, Cité Marine aims to develop tapas into a next pillar of the business and further expand its business with a view of distributing not only in France but also in neighboring countries in the future. In this way, we will expand the Nissui Group's overseas food business and deliver new food [types] to people around the world,” it said.
In 2016, Cité Marine acquired Verson, France-based Cap Ocean, and subsequently bought L’Orient-based whitefish product manufacturer Halieutis Fish and Co., Miti in 2017, and Keranna in 2022. In 2023, Nissui announced an investment in Keranna’s capacity to increase its production of frozen and chilled fried whitefish and alternative protein products.
Nissui recorded an 8.2 percent bump in sales and a 21.1 percent increase in operating profit in its 2023 fiscal year, which ended 31 March 2024. Its sales were up 10 percent year over year in Q1 2024 to JPY 220 billion (USD 1.5 billion, EUR 1.4 billion), but recorded flat operating profit and a slight decline in its ordinary profit.
