This past week started off with a bang with the news American Seafoods – America's largest fishing quota holder of Alaska pollock – is once again looking for new investors.
Sparked by the news, Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry, turned analyst, delving deeper to give readers an idea of who is likely to snap up the company, or at least who is in the market for a pollock giant.
Like last week, land-based salmon farming just won’t leave the headlines. We took a deeper look at why Pure Salmon chose Virginia as its first location in the United States; DNB released a new indepth report on the sector; and this private equity investor also told us it was eyeing a move into land-based farming.
Spain and Malta were in the headlines for all the wrong reasons last week, after leaked information to the Spanish press revealed tuna ranching giant Ricardo Fuentes e Hijos, and the Maltese director of fisheries caught up in €25 million illegal tuna scandal.
Of course, when contacted by IntraFish, the Spanish firm denied all wrongdoing and claimed other companies were actually involved in the tuna smuggling ring.
While Rachel Mutter was trying out the McDonald's Fish Prosperity Burger in Malaysia (spoiler, it wasn’t great), John Fiorillo listed the top 10 excuses for not eating seafood and offered up appropriate responses to each and every one of them.
Russia and the United States went head-to-head on Trump's pollock policy, with the Russian government later blasting US pollock producers for 'absurd' claims.
SalmonChile’s President Arturo Clement predicted more growth, more money, more M&A to come in the Chilean salmon industry at Marel’s Salmon ShowHow, while we also revealed how fully automated salmon processing is closer than you think.
During the week, we reported how Thai Union is forming a new division; Nutreco and Hendrix Genetics teamed on a new Ecuador shrimp hatchery; and US smoked salmon giant Acme unveiled plans for a massive expansion and new distribution center.
We explained how and why there was a shrimp prices crash in the US market through 2018, and why Patagonia Provisions doesn't use an MSC label.
It was also the beginning of the fourth quarter and full year earnings season and we covered it all, from Mowi to Grieg, SalMar, Akva, Tassal, Pacific Andes and Norway Royal Salmon.
Mowi announced 'fierce’ competition impacting its value-added operations and also appointed a new managing director of its feed division.
We heard how algal blooms continue to drag on Grieg earnings in British Columbia and SalMar increased its stake in Icelandic producer Arnarlax, while also making an offer for total ownership.
But, as usual, it was a very busy week for seafood news and this only begins to scratch the surface, so make sure to sign up for the free IntraFish daily newsletter to stay on top of things.
