By Ana Maria Neagu Nordic Food announced at a press conference on Wednesday that it has partnered up with Thai Union in order to distribute the John West canned fish brand in Romania. Thailand-based Thai Union, one of the global leaders in the production of fish and shellfish, is processing 18 percent of the global production of canned tuna, owning 17 plants and 2 research centres. “John West is our choice for the start of the collaboration with Thai Union, and that is because we have found very many things in common with the history and values of John West. John West speaks about tradition, innovation, responsibility,” Nordic Food CEO Ciprian Moldoveanu stated at the press conference. “It is a challenge for us, because the market segment is very crowded, however we trust the quality of John West products and we believe we can develop it, so that Romanians would include it in their food options,” he added. Founded in 1857 in the United Kingdom, John West, one of the largest producers of canned fish in the world, stands out through its permanent care for the taste and quality of its products, using healthy ready-to-eat canned food recipes. Moreover, John West cans are made in line with a commitment to the environment and sustainable fishing. The company is certified ‘Dolphin Safe.’ By introducing the tracking code on the https://www.john-west.co.uk website, anyone can find out the source of the raw materials used. John West is the first to introduce the “no-drain” can on the market, which does not require draining before consumption, the steam-cooked mackerel, grilled sardines and infusions that combine tuna and salmon with various spices (basil, chilli, lemon), in packs with resealable lids. Specialised in innovation, John West has put into practice simple ideas, healthy and delicious ready-to-eat canned food recipes at premium quality and affordable prices. On the basis of this partnership, Nordic Food will distribute nationwide a selection of 35 John West products. Divided into 10 subcategories, they will be introduced gradually, and developed over a period of 3 years, in all the large stores in Romania (supermarkets and hypermarkets), with the first 4 subcategories (no-drain cans, tuna and salmon infusions and Light Lunch snacks) set to be launched on the market by the end of the year. Six more subcategories, including canned mackerel, sardines, shellfish, salmon, tuna pate, anchovy and caviar, will hit the market in 2019. At the end of the three-year period, the company estimates a turnover of RON 20-25 million for this brand, Nordic Food CCO Florin Panfile informs. According to SNA Focus data (Nov. 2015 – Nov. 2017) presented by Florin Panfile, the local canned fish market totals EUR 80 million, on an upward trend. More than 50 percent of the canned fish on the market is tuna, 17 percent sardines, 13 percent herring and 10 percent mackerel. Canned fish in vegetable oil tops the Romanians’ preferences (45 percent), followed by canned fish in tomato juice (20 percent), canned fish in own juice (17 percent) and canned fish in olive oil (14 percent). The overall consumption of fresh/frozen and canned fish in our country totals only 6.7 kilograms per capita per year, only 10 percent of consumers buying canned fish on weekly basis, 30 percent on a monthly basis and 60 percent less frequently than that. Nordic Food was established in 1994 with 100 percent Romanian capital, as Nordic Import-Export. Today, Nordic Food is a sales, marketing and merchandising company with nationwide coverage. Nordic Food’s partners are mainly powerful producers from all over the world. The company’s portfolio currently consists of 2,500 premium food products divided into five categories: fresh products, dry products, fruits & vegetables, frozen products and special ingredients.
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