Tri Marine Group on Tuesday named Juan Corrales as its new CEO, effective Jan. 1.
Corrales succeeds Renato Curto who is stepping down after 35 years as CEO.
Corrales is from Bermeo, Spain, where his family founded the Garavilla Group in 1887. Garavilla owns several fishing, canning and branding operations worldwide and, like Tri Marine, is part of the privately-owned Bolton Group. It sells products under commercial brands, Isabel and Garavilla, as well as providing private-label processing.
Bolton completed the acquisition of the Tri Marine tuna supply chain, its factories in Ecuador and the Solomon Islands, and the fleet in Solomon Islands, in July and is committed to growing the company’s operations and activities worldwide.
Corrales served as Garavilla CEO for the last 15 years. He is former chairman of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).
“I have known Renato and the Tri Marine leadership for many years," said Corrales. "Together with the team, I plan to build on Tri Marine’s well earned reputation for excellence through transparency and integrity.”
“Today, on my 75 th birthday, I am honored to pass the torch to Juan," said Curto. "I have full confidence he will lead Tri Marine with integrity and renewed energy. Under Bolton Group’s ownership, Tri Marine will continue to build on our extensive network of sustainable supply chains to effectively serve our customers.”
Tri Marine will maintain its own identity and will continue to operate independently within Bolton Group, the company said in a press statement.
In July after selling to Bolton, Curto told IntraFish he has mixed feelings about the sale of the company. “But I am glad that we were able to reach a suitable agreement and that the future of Tri Marine and that of my collaborators is now in very good hands. I am not disappearing, as you know, and I will continue to serve as CEO for some time in order for the transition to be without too many bumps.”
In a message to colleagues, Curto said the deal will result in the creation of new business that he will own and operate separately.
That business is largely comprised of harvest assets such as its US-flagged fishing vessels, and includes the following companies: Cape Fisheries, Samoa Fishing Management, Tri Marine Fishing Management, Tri Marine Fish Co., Conservera de las Americas, Samoa Tuna Processors, The Tuna Store, Baja Marine Foods, Pesquera Tri Marine and Tri Marine SA.
Bolton, as part of the deal, now owns Tri Marine international (Pte) Ltd (Singapore), Tri Marine International SRL (Panama), Tri Marine International Spain SA (Bilbao), Tri Marine Europe SPA (Piacenza) and Tri Marine’s offices in Bangkok, Kaohsiung and Shanghai.
It also owns Tri Marine’s interest in tuna processing companies, including Seafman, CA (Ecuador), Gralco SA (Colombia), and SolTuna Ltd (Solomon Islands), and Tri Marine International SRL.
In addition, Bolton owns Tri Marine’s non-US flag tuna fishing business, National Fisheries Developments Ltd (Solomon Islands), the Tri Marine Management Company, Tri Marine’s interest in Clipper Bunkering and the Tri Marine name.
The Bolton Group is market leader in the European canned tuna market and is present worldwide with its brands Rio Mare, Saupiquet and Isabel.
