The Trade Office of Ecuador in New York, part of ProEcuador, works directly with exporters, including several seafood companies, providing services to help them prepare to meet U.S. regulations and certifications and connecting them with importers within the United States. Karina Amaluisa, Ecuador’s trade commissioner in New York, has worked in her current position since 2012 and has been employed by the Trade Office of Ecuador in New York since 2009. Amaluisa was accompanied in her interview by media relations officer Rafael Ascencio.
SeafoodSource: How do you help seafood suppliers from Ecuador navigate their way in doing business in America?
Amaluisa: We are the bridge between the Ecuador exporter and the U.S. importer. We identify the areas of demand, understanding the needs of the market, and help facilitate the contact between them. We also help companies connect in a more direct manner with the consumer. It’s an ocean-to-table approach; We try to get it as close as possible to the consumer.
SeafoodSource: There were 10 seafood companies from Ecuador at the recent Seafood Expo North America: Are most of them already doing business in the United States? And what did the companies learn from their experience at the show?
Amaluisa: Four of them are currently exporting to the United States, and another, Pesmarpac, is owned by a Chinese businessman in Ecuador who is focused on the Asian market. Unlike most of the other companies that start in the domestic market and then move to the United States before moving on to Asia or other parts of the world, the Chinese operator is already doing business in China, but is now exploring the large Asian market within the United States.
Another company, Natluk, is focused on wild shrimp and they recently launched an e-platform to get closer to their end users, which are restaurants, chefs and retailers. The e-platform works like a shopping cart: They receive orders, pack in Ecuador and then send product directly to the end user. The money that would typically go to a distributor is used instead to fund the logistics for direct shipping. This approach allows restaurants and retailers the convenience of buying smaller portions.
Some of the companies learned some very basic things about doing business in the United States. For example, one company learned that what it was calling shrimp are really considered prawns in the U.S. market because of the size. Another business was told that it shouldn’t put a photo of a shrimp with its head on the packaging, because the customer wants to see a photo of what they are really getting, which is a headless shrimp. Plus, this makes it more attractive for the U.S. market.
SeafoodSource: Increasingly, Americans want to know the story behind their food: What are some of the compelling stories associated with Ecuador’s seafood suppliers?
Amaluisa: We think in terms of quality, but it’s also very much about the people. The seafood industry represents 200,000 jobs, 60 percent of which are provided to low-income workers. And 80 percent of employees are women and most of them are the heads of their households.
Natluk, which is a mid-size, family-owned business, works with cooperatives and shrimp farmers and makes giving back to the community part of its mission. For every pound of shrimp that is exported, the company returns a percentage of its earnings to the cooperative in the form of infrastructure, medical care and supplies. This not only helps the community, but builds a tighter bond with the region. This practice is employed by some of the larger fishing companies in Ecuador, but this is an example of a mid-size company doing this for the partners with which it works.
Fresh Fish, which exports mahi mahi, tuna, hake, butterfish and shrimp, among others, also has a social responsibility program. And it has developed a means for packing fresh fish in oxygen-free materials that extends its shelf life.
SeafoodSource: What is the biggest challenge facing Ecuador’s seafood industry?
Amaluisa: There are always new regulations and certifications that are required and it takes time to understand the process. Suppliers also have to adjust to the demands of the market, such as consumers and retailers who want more certifications, such as organic. If Ecuador wants to be in a leading position, then the suppliers have to make the necessary adjustments.
We’re also challenged with sustaining quality as one of the largest seafood exporters from South America. We educate suppliers that it is about quality, not just price. We’re always working on sending the message that shrimp from Ecuador means quality.
