'Big potential' in seafood deal

IN one of the biggest deals of its type for many years, seafood company Seafood Connection has acquired the frozen food operation of Netherlands based Anova Seafood.
Seafood Connection is the European business of the world’s largest seafood company by sales in both farmed and wild caught fish, and a leading supplier through retail and food service to Europe and the UK.
For the past five years it has been part of Japan\’s Maruha Nichiro, a global leader in the seafood industry.
The company, with its European base in the Netherlands fishing port of Urk, imports, exports and distributes frozen fish products to retailers, wholesalers, food processors and distributors.
Jan Kaptijn, the CEO of Seafood Connection, said: ‘We see a lot potential by adding Anova’s product portfolio to our current business and it will strengthen our position in sourcing, processing and sales of seafood products.’
Anova Seafood said the multi-million euro deal is the final step of a strategic re-orientation the company has gone through in recent months.
Constant Mulder, co-owner with Willem Huisman, said: ‘We see a lot of potential for Anova to strengthen and expand its position in the fresh and chilled seafood segment, and therefore we have redirected our strategic focus towards the fresh and chilled seafood segment.’
The two business partners did not disclose financial details of the deal, which will take effect from January 1.
The company – which has sales operations in the UK and in Europe – processed more than 30,000 tonnes of fish last year, generating revenues of above the €100 million mark. It is a major dealer in cod, salmon and farmed fish from Vietnam.
Picture: Anova Seafood\’s stand at the Seafood Expo in Brussels