Kali Tuna Hong Kong targeting Asian markets for its farmed bluefin tuna

Kali Tuna Hong Kong, a group company of Kali Tuna – which is owned by J-Trading Inc. – hosted the official launch of a new Hong Kong-based facility intended to serve as a hub for its farmed tuna.

The company produces farmed bluefin tuna, which it farms using net pens in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia. The new Hong Kong facility, which hosted an opening ceremony on 6 September, is planned to be a base of operations for the company as it begins to target more Asian markets for its products.

Included in the new facility are several “ultra-low temperature” freezers that will operate at negative 60 degrees Celsius or cooler, ensuring that the tuna maintains its flavor. It will also have processing facilities specialized for tuna, enabling the company to deliver fresh tuna at customer’s request. 

Jiro Kambe, group CEO of J-Trading, told SeafoodSource that Hong Kong was a natural choice for the new facility and the company’s goals. Kambe said that the company did a few years of research before settling on the location.

“Hong Kong is a trading hub in Asia,” Kambe said.

The location was also helped by a partnership with Toru Ueda, Director of Hong Kong for Kali Tuna, according to Kambe. Ueda’s expertise in the food and beverage area, which he has been a part of for many years, “makes everything easier.”

The target for the new product is merchants and restaurants in the region, and the company has secured all the relevant sanitation criteria for Hong Kong and is ready to begin selling its bluefin tuna to customers in the region.  

The company is also placing a heavy focus on sustainability, according to Kambe, and Kali Tuna is already working “with various institutes” in order to obtain certifications for their products. 

The new facility is just beginning its production this month. Kambe was reluctant to share the cost of the facility, but said he is “very confident of their success in Hong Kong.”

Photo by Cass Ng/SeafoodSource