Dalian JV to ride the tuna wave, builds 1,200 tpa processing plant

Company adopts news tech like subzero storage after sales, exports rise

Dalian Global Food Corporation, a Sino-Japanese joint venture located in the free trade zone of Dalian, Liaoning province, Northeast China, is building a new 1,200 tons per annum tuna processing plant.

“Our current annual processing capacity is 2,400 tons. Last year, with the support of other plants, we processed 2,500 tons of tuna and exported 2,000 tons,” said Wang Zewei, deputy general manager of DGFC.

The company is also adopting new technologies like ultralow temperature storage to retain the quality of its fresh tuna.

In recent years, sashimi has become a popular food among Chinese consumers, given the notion that deepsea tuna are nutritious and clean food.

According to Wang, the whole procedure from storage and shipment to processing and sales must be carried out at a temperature of about minus-60 degrees Celsius.

“Within minutes after Wang Zewei, being pulled out of water, tuna must be gilled and put into refrigerator,” said Wang. “The grade of freshness is the lifeblood of this business.”

Tuna’s quality and prices vary as per their type, catch location, size and other aspects, he said.

Generally, bigger fish and those caught in cooler waters are relatively rich in fat, thus have better taste. Tuna’s quality is traceable from catch to consumer, he said.

DGFC’s annual sales volume has reached 230 million yuan ($33.3 million). More than 70 percent of its products are exported to Japan, South Korea, the United States and countries in Southeast Asia.

In the domestic market, wholesalers, supermarkets and restaurants in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and DGFC’s tuna.

Wang said there were only three tuna processing plants in China when DGFC started operations in 2004. Nowtheir number has risen to over 10, with all of them growing well in recent years.

Yuichi Morishita, CEO of Japan’s Kyotaru Co Ltd, owner of a sushi brand, said with more Chinese residents becoming rich, they are paying more attention to food quality.

Kyotaru is cooperating with Zoneco Group Co Ltd, a Chinese fisheries company, to set upsushi shops inChina. DGFC will supply tuna to them.

Morishita said shops that sell quality food will win the hearts of consumer groups with high purchasing power. Dalian buy

Last year, with the support of other plants, we processed 2,500 tons of tuna and exported 2,000 tons.” deputy general manager of DGFC

XINHUA Workers put raw pieces of tuna on a shelf at a processing plant in Rongcheng, Shandong province.