RFC AND COFCO FOOD IMPORT SIGN AGREEMENT

RFC and COFCO Food Import sign agreement to develop sales of Pollock fillet and surimi in China. 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.

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 official signing ceremony was attended by representatives of the Management  of the RFC, COFCO, as well as the Russian-Chinese Business Council (RCBC). The document was signed by Savely Karpukhin, the First Deputy General Director of the RFC and Mr. Tianxu Bai, the General Manager of COFCO Far East.

“Signing the agreement between COFCO Food Import and the Russian Fishery Company is one more important step in the development of the Russian-Chinese business cooperation. With each passing year the partnership between our countries grows stronger and develops. More and more projects of various levels are successfully implemented by joint efforts of the Russian and Chinese parties. An important contribution in this direction is made by the members of the Russian-Chinese Business Council, in particular, the RFC, as noted by Evgeny Markin, the Executive Director of the Russian-Chinese Business Council (RCBC).

“COFCO Far East is one of the business development directions of COFCO Far East Co., Ltd. to assist specialised companies to import Russian high-quality food (including seafood). Russian Fishing is a leader in this field. We are willing to provide follow-up services and support in business cooperation and promote more high-quality products to enter the Chinese market. I wish you a successful and better cooperation”, said Mr. Tianxu Bai, the General Manager of COFCO Far East.

“With the constantly upgraded consumer demand, we adhere to the “made for China” and introduce high-quality deep-processed Russian pollock on the basis of the various of imported high-end food material, which can better serve COFCO’s new and old customers and partners”, said Mr. Mengze Liu, the General Manager of COFCO Food Import.

Cooperation with the leading Chinese partner will enable the RFC to ensure product quality control for the Chinese market at every stage, from catching to the final consumer.

“The Chinese market has always been and remains one of the highest priorities for the RFC. Partnership with COFCO will make it possible to significantly advance in the development of sales of deep-processed pollock products in this market. Chinese consumers are paying more and more attention to issues of environmental friendliness, genuineness and health benefits, and the RFC is pleased to offer them the products made of wild white fish caught in one of the cleanest waters in the world, with the highest consumer properties and at an affordable price”, said Savely Karpukhin, the First Deputy General Director of the RFC. – We are sure that COFCO’s experience and reputation in the Chinese market will provide good prospects for our products in China, and together we can reach an ambitious level of annual sales of 50 thousand tons of products 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 efficiency and environmental friendliness of harvesting are confirmed by the MSC certificate.

The Company’s heavy-tonnage fishing vessels are well suited to work in all fishing areas and under any climatic conditions. The Company’s processor trawlers are equipped with modern fishing and processing equipment from leading international suppliers which enables the trawlers to harvest and process various aquatic biological resources at sea. The Company’s strategic goals involve increasing the output of high value-added products.

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.

www.russianfishery.ru

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. At the same time, it has overseas companies in Germany, Britain and Japan, and its main business covers dairy products, edible oil, aquatic products, meat, wine, fruit and packaged food. Giving full play to the three advantages of “origin raw materials, processing technology and cultural function”, COFCO Import Food Co., Ltd. has matured market and sales channels. By constantly promoting the integration and upgrading of the whole industrial chain, the company has built an all-round and multi-level cooperation pattern. Create a preferred place of origin for consumers with the concept of “made for China”, 7C quality control standards, nutrition upgrading, convenient and pleasant lifestyle.