The Marine Biological Technology Center supports Kurose Suisan's farming business

"Kurose Yellowtail" are processed into fillets in the HACCP certified processing plant.

In Japan, sea farm accounts for approximately 20% of total fishery production, of which 52% is Yellowtail farming. Yellowtail happened to be a fish that Nissui wanted to farm, because the young fish are easy to acquire, grow relatively quickly at low cost, and are in constant high demand, particularly in western Japan.

Fish farming enables the stable supply of gourmet fish at reasonable prices and is also considered an important source of protein. Today, the presence of farmed fish has grown to the point where it can no longer be ignored by the whole fishery, and it is expected to keep on growing. On the other hand, consumers have a vague sense of uneasiness about farmed fish. They wonder whether they are full of chemicals, where they have been produced, how hygienic they are, and so on. Once these issues are resolved, farmed fish can confidently be declared "safe to eat because they are managed properly using advanced technology." Nissui has always made efforts to identify and clearly indicate the history of fish in its aquaculture operations, and has attached importance to integrated production. We believe that ensuring appropriate information disclosure will resolve consumers' uneasiness and lead to the expansion of the market.

In today's supply chain, aquaculture operators, wholesalers and other middlemen, mass merchandisers and retailers are all struggling. While consumers are demanding higher safety and traceability, fish prices have slumped due to an oversupply of farmed fish, resulting in reduced sales and profits. Efforts to cut transaction costs, eliminate duplicated work and implement planned production and shipping are needed to survive and win. With "Kurose Yellowtail", such efforts can be perfectly implemented. Our aim is not just to farm fish; we want to position Nissui within the supply chain and ensure that everybody shares in the profits, and to expand our aquaculture business in partnership with others who recognize the value created by integrated production.

"Ultimately, we want to sell fish that customers can dine on with confidence on their safety at reasonable prices. With this in mind, we aim to revise our division of roles with other parties involved in the distribution process and develop a modern supply chain", comments a Nissui employee.

In this way, high hopes for a profit-sharing relationship with related industries are being placed in "Kurose Yellowtail", a product in which the functions and beliefs of Nissui are distilled.