One of China’s largest feed and meat processors is talking with a major seafood distributor about developing its own seafood lines and co-distribution.
Executives from New Hope Liuhe, which is one of China’s largest privately-owned corporations, have been meeting with counterparts at Asia Fishing Port (“Ya Zhou Yu Gang” in Chinese), a major online retailer of self-developed seafood products as well as imports.
New Hope Head of Sales Huang Yuanchao and Head of Research Wang Ye have been in discussions with counterparts including Zhang Shibin, vice president of Asia Fishing Port, which describes itself as the leading online distributor of seafood in China.
Any move into seafood by New Hope Liuhe would be significant, given the company’s scale. Listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, New Hope Liuhe was incorporated in 1998 and has built businesses in animal feed, meat processing, and finance. The firm is a major breeder and processor of poultry and is one of China’s leading pig producers. It has opened feed and distribution and sourcing operations across Southeast Asia, as well as in Egypt and Sri Lanka, and has a trading office in the U.S. In 2017, the firm booked sales of CNY 62.5 billion (USD 9.3 billion, EUR 8.2 billion), a year-on-year increase of 2.77 percent. It employs 62,000 people at more than 500 subsidiaries. The company frequently emphasizes its research and development spend and international ambitions.
Based in Dalian, Asia Fishing Port Seafood Co. (it often uses the English names Asian Sea and “ASA”) was set up in 2001 and produces a range of convenience-style seafood for the domestic market, including an extensive range of breaded shrimp. According to a statement from the firm Asia Fishing Port, the company is pursuing “strategic cooperation” with New Hope Liu He and as part of this cooperation will develop “seafood recipes” for the meat giant.
Photo courtesy of Asia Fishing Port
