The Russian Fishery Company (RFC) and COFCO Food Import (COFCO) entered into an agreement of intent aimed at promoting and developing sales of RFC’s Pollock fillet and surimi in the Chinese market, according to the company's release.
In accordance with the agreement, the RFC will become for COFCO a strategic supplier of high-quality deep-processed Pollock products (fillet and surimi). In its turn, COFCO will become a strategic importer and distributor of the RFC’s fillet and surimi in Mainland China. The planned annual sales volume amounts to 50 thousand tons. The parties plan to achieve this figure by 2024.
The start of surimi manufacture by the Russian Fishery Company became possible thanks to the construction of a new fleet of modern super trawlers and the commissioning of the first such vessel – “Vladimir Limanov”. During 2021, it is planned to manufacture 4-5 thousand tons of the new product. Outputs will grow with the commissioning of super trawlers under construction.
As previously reported, RFC continues to develop sales of deep-processed Pollock products in the domestic market also. In particular, in order to increase sales of Pollock fillets on the Russian market, a long-term contract was signed with Fish Processing Plant No. 1 (ROK-1). The parties plan to ensure sales in the Russian market of consumer products made from Pollock fillets in the amount of at least 10 thousand tons annually, starting from 2023.
The Russian Fishery Company is one of the largest Russian manufacturers of wild white fish, and one of the leading manufactures of pollock products in Russia and in the world. The RFC ensures the entire production chain - from catching to deep processing of fish into a product with high added value: fillet, mince and a new product - surimi. The start of surimi manufacture became possible thanks to the construction of a new fleet of modern super trawlers and the commissioning of the first such vessel –“ Vladimir Limanov”.
The main harvested species are pollock and Pacific herring. Over 80% of the catch are pollock. The RFC is engaged in harvesting in the Bering sea and the sea of Okhotsk, in one of the cleanest waters in the world. The RFC is constructing a new fleet of 11 super trawlers, state-of-the art, technologically advanced fishing vessels. Each trawler is designed for an annual catch and on-board processing of more than 60 thousand tons of fish, which is 2.5 times higher than the productivity of vessels that are today the basis of the fishing fleet in the Russian Far East. The first of super trawlers to be constructed for the RFC was handed over to the company in 2020.
COFCO Food Import Limited is the operator of imported food brands under COFCO Corporation. COFCO Corporation is the largest grain, oil and food import and export company and a powerful food manufacturer in China. COFCO Import Food Co., Ltd. practices the brand concept of global industrial chain, good products actively.