Produced by Proximar Seafood and marketed under the Fuji Atlantic Salmon brand, this is the very first Atlantic salmon harvested in Japan.
Photo: Proximar Seafood.
As recently announced by CEO Joachim Nielsen, September 30 marks the date Proximar has harvested - and sold - the first locally produced harvest of Atlantic salmon in Japan. The Norwegian land-based farming company, which operates Japan's first large-scale salmon farm in Oyama, at the foot of Mount Fuji, has done so under its new brand and logo, Fuji Atlantic Salmon.
After two years of work - Proximar Seafood confirmed a first batch of about 125,000 eggs in October 2022 - the completion of this first commercial harvest marks a key operational and commercial milestone for the company.
"Proximar is the only supplier of domestically produced Atlantic salmon in Japan, years ahead of competition," Nielsen stated. "We have since October 2022 proven great production capabilities and fish growth, and I am now immensely proud to see all the hard work from our excellent team being commercially validated through the first harvest."
Salmon from this first harvest had an average weight of ~4 kg HOG with 100% premium quality. In addition, the company confirmed that the price achieved aligns with its premium price expectations compared to the import price of Norwegian Atlantic salmon to Japan.
"Our Atlantic salmon shows high quality and based on the feedback from our partners and others, I am confident that we are providing Japanese consumers with a longed-for local product with unparalleled freshness," Proximar Seafood's CEO said.
The company reported this was a test harvest of approximately 1.2 tons to confirm that all equipment and processes are running smoothly, and that daily harvesting will begin in late October. The salmon now harvested will be shipped to customers in the Greater Tokyo region.
In addition, in parallel with the first harvest, Proximar Seafood has launched its brand name and logo. Fuji Atlantic Salmon will be the trademark that will be used to build the company's presence in Japan and Asia. Its goal is to position the company as a market leader in the Japanese-produced Atlantic salmon market for Asian consumers.
"Mount Fuji is an iconic landmark in Japan, and the area is known for high quality water resources. The location of Proximar at the foot of Mount Fuji is believed to have a positive value in terms of marketing and branding, not only in Japan but also in the entire Asian region," Joachim Nielsen explained.
In October 2022, Proximar Seafood signed a 10-year sales and distribution agreement with Marubeni, and in June this year, the Japanese corporation already reached the first sales agreement with a specialized seafood customer. The long-term harvest target for Proximar is 5,300 tons (HOG) per year in Phase 1, with a gradual increase from the first harvest. Expected harvest volumes for 2024 and 2025 combined are ~4,700 tons (HOG).