Nosui brings freshness from the sea to the table

Country Business Reports interviews and articles by Discovery Reports www.discoveryreports.com

The seafood business is a battle against time. In 1956, when modern freezing technologies and business logistics were decades away from being foolproof, one company dared to defy the odds to bring freshness from the sea to the table – halfway around the world.

Nosui Corp began as a frozen shrimp exporter to the United States, later on adding oysters, fish and fish roe to its products. Today, the company’s continued innovation has enabled it to diversify into frozen vegetables and processed food. It has also expanded its facilities from Japan to Alaska, China and other strategic locations.

All of Nosui’s frozen goods have a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification, guaranteeing food safety management and product quality at all times. “With seafood, quality is not just a competitive edge – it is a responsibility that we take seriously,” says Hirohisa Kagiyama, Nosui’s managing director and chief operating officer of its marine products business sector.

“Our approach to business is based on our ‘product-out, market-in’ philosophy – where we combine our stringent standards to maintain the highest product quality with our commitment to customer satisfaction.”

About 80 per cent of the company’s enterprise is business-to-business, with clients comprising chains of restaurants, supermarkets and convenience stores including 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson. While the local market still accounts for 90 per cent of its sales, and most of its products still target the Japanese taste, Nosui is opening up to cater to a broader, more international palate.

Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore and Thailand are Nosui’s biggest markets overseas, but the company envisions a much farther reach in the next decade. “From 10 per cent of overall revenues, overseas sales should account for at least 30 per cent,” Kagiyama says. “We want to find Asian partners who similarly focus on high quality, have cold chain capability and can help us penetrate local markets.”

www.nosui.co.jp