Top 15 of Russia's largest seafood importers in 2009

Main countries of origin for seafood imported to the country were Norway, Great Britain, Vietnam, Chile, China and others.

It is worth noticing that seven out of 15 largest importers are members of Association of Fish Producers and Traders. They are ZAO Russian Fish Company, ZAO ITA Severnaya Kompania, ZAO Atlant-Pacific, OOO Defa, OOO Ultra Fish, OOO TD Pervomaisky Khladokombinat, OAO ROK-1.

ZAO Russian Fish Company

Russia's largest seafood importer in 2009 was ZAO Russian Fish Company with the volume of 134,756 metric tons. The company imported 79,184 tonnes (or 70%) from Norway. From Great Britain the company imported 19,082 tonnes and from Vietnam it shipped 11,697 tonnes of seafood products.

In 2009 total frozen herring purchases of Russian Fish Company in 2009 amounted to 29,498 tonnes and herring fillets to 9293 tonnes. Import of chilled salmon and trout less fillets totaled 27,550 tonnes, frozen mackerel - to 26,412 tonnes, frozen fillets of pangasius and tilapia - 13,740 tonnes. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

Russian Fish Company, a member of Russian Sea Group is one of the largest distributors of chilled and freshfrozen fish in Russia. In 2009 the company's sales volume reached 180,000 tonnes of finfish and other aquatic species, which accounted for 12% of the Russian fish market (as estimated by the nation's Statistics Bureau).

OOO Akra

Russia's second largest importer was OOO Akra (ltd), a member of DEFA Group of Companies, with the volume of 55,479 metric tons. The bulk of import volumes were shipped from Norway - 32,395 metric tons or 71%. The second largest country of origin was Vietnam with the volume of 5473 tonnes and the third place was taken by China with the volume of 3997 tonnes.

In 2009 Akra imported mostly frozen herring (16,557 tonnes), which was followed by chilled salmon and trout (10,448 tonnes), frozen mackerel (6932 tonnes) and pangasius and tilapia fillets (6568 tonnes). The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

DEFA Group is a group of companies engaged in wholesale shipments of fresh, frozen finfish and other aquatic products from Norway, Iceland, Faroese Islands, Denmark, Canada, Chile, Vietnam and many other countries. It offers services of coldstorage, transportation and paper work for customs clearance. The group has regional offices in Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Novossibirsk and other cities and towns of Russia. DEFA Group has been working on the Russian market for more than 10 years.

ZAO Atlant-Pacific

The third largest importer was ZAO Atlant Pacific contributing 52,139 tonnes to the nation's total seafood import. The company mostly shipped seafood products from Norway, namely 32,728 tonnes or 59%, which was followed by Vietnam with the volume of 7070 tonnes and Great Britain with the volume of 5538 tonnes.

The largest volume of seafood products imported by Atlant-Pacific was contributed by frozen herring (13,617 tonnes), chilled salmon and trout (9562 tonnes), fillets of pangasius and tilapia (7890 tonnes) and frozen mackerel (7854 tonnes). The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

Established in 1996 Atlant-Pacific has become one the leading trade and logistics companies on the Russian fish market. The company majors in shipments of freshfrozen and chilled fish, coldstorage services and building up the whole chain of product delivery.

At present the company ships chilled and frozen fish from Norway, Denmark, Scotland, Spain, Argentina, Canada, USA, China, Vietnam and other countries.

OOO Sebastes

In 2009 OOO Sebastes imported to Russia 36,712 tonnes of seafood products, including 10,242 tonnes of frozen herring, 7833 tonnes of pangasius and tilapia fillets, 4581 tonnes of frozen blue whiting, ca.2300 tonnes of frozen capelin, 2315 tonnes of frozen mackerel and ca.2080 tonnes of chilled salmon and trout. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

OOO Sebastes is the largest player on the Russian market of production and distribution. The company is a member of Meridian Group.

OOO Nord West Fish

In 2009 Nord West Fish Company imported to Russia 34,989 tonnes of finfish and other aquatic species, including 15,442 tonnes of frozen herring, 8064 tonnes of frozen herring fillets, 3935 tonnes of frozen mackerel and ca.3800 tonnes of frozen capelin. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

OOO Nord West Fish is one the largest suppliers of smoked and dry-cured fish, fish delis and marinated preserves as well as frozen finfish and other aquatic products in Saint Petersburg.

OOO Garpun

In 2009 OOO Garpun imported to Russia 28,392 tonnes of seafood products, including 14,539 tonnes of frozen herring, 2332 tonnes of frozen herring fillets, 8675 tonnes of frozen capelin and 2075 tonnes of frozen mackerel.

ZAO Golfstream

In 2009 Golfstream imported to Russia 26,540 tonnes of seafood products, including 8255 tonnes of frozen herring and Baltic herring, 3860 tonnes of frozen herring fillets, 1692 tonnes of frozen trout, 1545 tonnes of frozen mackerel, 1401 tonnes of frozen salmon and products, 1212 tonnes of frozen HGT hake. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

OOO Handler

In 2009 OOO Handler imported to Russia 22,806 tonnes of seafood, including 5732 tonnes of frozen herring, 3540 tonnes of capelin and horse mackerel, 3493 tonnes of frozen mackerel, 2025 tonnes of frozen pollock fillets, 1825 tonnes of tilapia fillets, 1756 tonnes of herring fillets and 1545 tonnes of ocean perch. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

OOO Handler was established in 2005 in Sergiev Posad and engaged in fish processing and canning, as well as in production of ready-to-eat products.

OOO Ultra Fish

In 2009 OOO Ultra Fish imported to Russia 22,299 tonned of seafood, including 7281 tonnes of frozen herring, 4195 tonnes of frozen mackerel, 4019 tonnes of frozen capelin, 3596 tonnes of frozen blue whiting and 1760 tonnes of herring fillets. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

Established in 2003 OOO Ultra Fish majors in wholesale trade of fresh frozen fish, fish fillets and other than finfish aquatic species on the Russian market.

Deep ties with suppliers from Norway, Great Britain, Iceland, Canada, China and Vietnam have enabled the company to offer a wide range of high quality of products at competitive prices on the markets of Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities of Russia.

OOO Flyfish

In 2009 OOO Flyfish imported to Russia 19,932 tonnes of seafood products, including 9419 tonnes of frozen herring, 9356 tonnes of frozen mackerel and 1200 tonnes of herring fillets. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

Flyfish is engaged in wholesale trade of freshfrozen fish on the international market. The company's annual turnover in 2009 approximated 1.5 billion RUR. Its head office is located in Moscow and it has an office in Saint Petersburg.

OOO Viciunai-Rus

In 2009 OOO Viciunai-Rus imported to Russia 19,305 tonnes of seafood, including 13,816 of frozen surimi mince, 1597 tonnes of frozen pink shrimp and 1109 tonnes of frozen herring fillets. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

OOO Viciunai-Rus was established in 2000 as a foreign company 100%-owned by Lithuanian ZAO Plunges Kooperatine Prekiba. The company majors in fish processing and canning.

OOO Profibiznes

In 2009 OOO Profibiznes owned by OOO ITA Severnaya Kompania imported to Russia 18,231 tonnes of finfish and other aquatic products, including 11,804 tonnes of chilled salmon and trout, 3291 tonnes of frozen salmon and salmon products, 2425 tonnes of pangasius fillets. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

Severnaya Kompania (Northern Company) has a holding structure with a number of affiliates. The company is engaged in production and sale of salmon caviar, Atlantic salmon, squid, etc. under own labels.

OOO Neptun

In 2009 OOO Neptun owned by OAO ROK-1 imported to Russia 17,402 tonnes of finfish and other aquatic species, including 4246 tonnes of chilled salmon, 3195 tonnes of frozen herring, 2584 tonnes of frozen herring fillets, 2197 tonnes of frozen surimi mince, 1871 tonnes of chilled trout, 1157 tonnes of frozen capelin. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

OAO ROK-1 is the largest fish processing company in Northwest Russia with an annual turnover of more than 45,000 tonnes. Production facilities in Saint Petersburg and surrounding Leningrad Region with the total workforce of more than 2500 people enable it to produce ca.300 seafood items.

OOO Fishland

In 2009 OOO Fishland imported to Russia 14,998 tonnes of seafood, including 9153 tonnes of frozen herring, 3900 tonnes of frozen mackerel and 1695 tonnes of frozen capelin. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.

OOO TD Pervomaisky Khladokombinat

In 2009 OOO TD Pervomaisky Khladokombinat imported to Russia 14,993 tonnes of seafood, including 12,075 tonnes of frozen tilapia and pangasius fillets, 1300 tonnes of chilled trout and 1295 tonnes of chilled salmon. The remaining import volume was contributed by other seafood species.