Russian Sea Group concluded contract for 7 fishing sites on the lakes of Karelia destined for commercial trout farming

OJSC «Russian Sea Group» (the «Company» or the «Group»), one of Russia's leading consumer food companies, today announces that it gained right to conclude contracts for seven fishing sites destined for commercial fish farming in Segozero, Vigozero and Ladoga Lakes in Republic of Karelia. The potential farming volumes on the gained sites amount to around 7 thousand tons of rainbow trout which represents around 50% of current farming volumes of trout farms in Karelia.

The sites were won as a result of a tender conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fish and Hunting Industry of the Republic of Karelia announced on 5th of May 2011. Altogether six companies applied for participation in the tender.

Besides the sites gained in the tender "Russian Sea Group" currently farms fish in 4 sites in Segozero Lake in Republic of Karelia. Current commercial trout farming volumes constitute around 1 thousand tons. With additional sites the Group plans to increase significantly the trout farming volumes. Farmed fish is delivered to a number federal retail chains through distribution channels of "Russian Fish Company" that is part of "Russian Sea Group". The Group operates its aquaculture business since 2007 and has already accumulated a serious experience in commercial farming of salmonids.

The Company has already started to actively develop the gained sites. The smolt is purchased from Russian and Finnish suppliers. The Company has already started to put smolt into the water at one of the new sites. The gained sites will be equipped with automatic breeding systems using Russian and Norwegian equipment.

Inna Golfand, "Russian Sea - Aquaculture" CEO, said: "Gaining 7 additional sites in Karelia is an important step in development of strategic aquaculture arm of the Group. At the moment we are one of the largest producers in Karelia. We plan to further strengthen our competence in aquaculture and systematically increase production volumes in line with the Group strategy and the Russian Federation strategy of food security and import substitution».

NOTE TO EDITORS

Russian Sea Group was founded in 1997 and began its operations by importing herring and mackerel from Norway. In 1999, the Company launched production of the ready-to-eat fish products under its core ‘Russian Sea' brand and then continued its development as a producer and distributor of fish and fish products. At present, Russian Sea Group comprises two main business divisions, operated respectively by Russian Sea Company, and Russian Fish Company, each a wholly-owned subsidiary of Russian Sea Group.

The ‘ready-to-eat' business (Russian Sea Company) produces and sells "ready-to-eat" fish and seafood products under well-recognized brands, such as "Russian Sea", "Islandka", "Selyodochka Stolichnaya", "Mediterana", "7 Uzlov" and "Flottika". These products include salted and smoked salmon and trout, red caviar, a wide assortment of herring products, seafood, seaweed products and roe spreads. The Group operates a modern fish and seafood production facility in Noginsk, Moscow region (approximately 40 km from Moscow).

The Group's "chilled and frozen" business (Russian Fish Company) sells and distributes over 60 types of fish and seafood, including, among others, salmon, trout, cod, herring, mackerel, humpback salmon, pollack, flounder, shrimp and squid, to nationwide and regional retail chains, regional distributors and fish processing companies throughout Russia. The chilled and frozen fish and seafood business sources fish from domestic suppliers, as well as foreign suppliers from 18 countries, including, among others, Norway, the UK, the USA, Chile, Iceland, Vietnam and China. Its major international suppliers include Marine Harvest, Shetland Catch and Norway Pelagic. The Company supplies fish and seafood to over 85% of the regions of the Russian Federation.

The Group also operates a fish farming business (Russian Sea Aquaculture) which commenced operations in 2007 following the Group's purchase of a trout farm at Lake Segozero in Karelia, Russia, the entire output of which is currently sold to Russian Fish Company for further distribution.

For further enquiries contact:

Mila Rotinskikh
PR manager
Tel.: +7 (495) 258 99 28 ex. 3104
Mob.: +7 (903) 000 69 05
media@russiansea.ru