Two yellowtail exporters will be among the 10 companies sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at the International Boston Seafood Show from 14 to 16 March. Both companies also exhibited at the three-day event’s Japan Pavilion last year.
Morimatsu Suisan Reito Co. Ltd. is based in Ehime Prefecture, on Shikoku Island. The company promotes its products under the brand “Rumi Japan.” Staff members who attended last year’s show said, “A lot of customers came over to our booth to ask questions about our products. Moreover, they told us the broad range of information in seafood society. We had a great opportunity to know about the current circumstance of seafood markets all over the world and also learn how to promote our products.”
Hyoshoku Co. Ltd. is based in Oita on Kyushu Island. Kyushu and Shikoku islands, both in the south of Japan and in warm currents, account for most of Japan’s yellowtail production, as the fish grow best in warm water. Producers of yellowtail also typically produce Japanese amberjack (kanpachi) and sea bream (madai), which thrive in similar conditions, but yellowtail accounts for the lion’s share of exports.
Yellowtail is Japan’s top exported farmed fish by value. As an example of the current export markets, Rumi’s actual 2008 sales by destination were North America at 280 metric tons, Europe at 30 metric tons, East Asia at 20 metric tons and Southeast Asia at 7 metric tons.
The company has English-speaking sales staff as well as a staff-member from China. Rumi’s exports are 80 percent fresh and 20 percent frozen, though there has been a trend in the industry in recent years toward more frozen, to preserve color and cut shipping costs.
While many product styles are available within Japan, the product form favored for export is vacuum-packed fillets. North American customers tend to prefer a larger fillet than do European customers. Rumi Japan will also display skinless yellowtail loins and amberjack fillets.
A key to Japan’s export success in yellowtail, also known as “buri” and “hamachi,” has been acquiring HACCP certification. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a systematic preventive approach to food safety that addresses hazards as a means of prevention, rather than relying only on finished product inspection. For North America and Europe, particularly, buyers place great emphasis on HACCP.
Rumi started sales of yellowtail and other seafood items to North America immediately after earning its HACCP certificate in 2000. The company has since gone on a veritable certification binge, acquiring EUHACCP (an EU version of HACCP), BRC (British Retail Consortium) and ISO 9001:2000 (quality management) certifications. The company uses proprietary feed incorporating tea leaf, which they claim helps the fish to retain color. They use the Japanese “ikejime” method to bleed the fish and remove the nerves from the spine. In the case of chilled fillets, the product is air shipped on the day of harvest.
Hyoshoku became HACCP certified in 1999. The company promotes its extra-large 40-meter-by-60-meter pens, which it says allow more freedom of movement, resulting in firmer flesh.
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