Something fishy is going on in our China operation!
As part of our focus on helping sustainable food companies expand in Asia, we’ve been appointed by visionary US aquaculture company Forever Oceans to accelerate its growth in China. The move is a significant step towards addressing China's 'sushi emergency' – a result of recent seafood import restrictions.
Forever Oceans, a company dedicated to aquaculture sustainability, is a collective of forward-thinking scientists, engineers, fishermen, chefs, nutritionists and humanitarians.
Headquartered in Maryland, it has engineered what it proclaims to be "the most advanced aquaculture platform on the planet." Its pioneering concept uses satellites to manage large, warm water fish enclosures remotely – far offshore in deep ocean waters. Its inaugural project involves the cultivation of sustainable, sushi-grade kanpachi off the coast of Panama, with expansion plans encompassing Brazil and Indonesia.
China's profound affection for sushi makes it a lucrative market for kanpachi and the opportunity is further amplified by the country’s recent block of seafood imports from Japan. This follows Japan's decision to release around a million tonnes of wastewater into the ocean from its Fukushima nuclear power plant over the next 30 years. Although Japan says the radioactive wastewater is safe, it’s sparked China’s import block and a corresponding 'sushi emergency' in high-end Japanese restaurants across the country.
Forever Oceans is uniquely positioned to tackle this culinary crisis and they’ve entrusted us with the vital task of facilitating their entry into the Chinese market.
Our team in Shanghai is engaging in discussions with prestigious restaurants, celebrity chefs and other influential stakeholders in China’s food industry to evaluate the opportunities and pinpoint our client’s ideal customer profile.
We’re also navigating the intricate landscape for importing Forever Oceans' premium fish, examining the practical and regulatory challenges. And the search is on for the most suitable Chinese distributors, wholesalers, retailers and ecommerce platforms.
Guy Lott, VP of Global Sales at Forever Oceans, said: “We’re excited to be working with the Intralink China team to engage chefs and strategic distribution partners in Hong Kong and Mainland China – and to clarify the regulatory requirements for supplying our top-end, sustainable, sushi-grade fish.
“The team is already making remarkable progress, bringing extensive expertise and commitment to the task at hand."
This is the latest in our initiatives to enable sustainable food and agtech companies to expand their global footprint. Past successes include projects with Aquabounty, renowned for their farmed salmon, and The Good Food Institute, a prominent player in the cultivated meat industry.
To discuss the opportunities for your food or agtech business in Asia, contact Sol Bergen-Bartel at sol.bergenbartel@intralinkgroup.com