Russia’s leading APO harvester hires western top manager to develop new products and markets

The giant Russian Fishery Company (RFC) with fishing quotas over 320 thousand MT approved an appointment of Soren Dalsager as a Company’s Chief Commercial Officer in order to create a high performing global sales and marketing team, expand the customer base, develop new markets and sales channels, and increase the overall profitability of the growing product portfolio, according to RFC statement as per late November.

Mr. Dalsager brings more than 30 years of experience from the international seafood industry, and has held the positions of EVP Global Sales and Marketing for Regal Springs, аnd President of Royal Greenland U.S, among others. He is also the founder of the internationally recognized Napa Seafood Summit.

As Russian Fishery’s CCO, Mr. Dalsager will lead the Company’s efforts to ensure the transition from a production/fishing-oriented focus to a market-driven and customer-focused business by enhancing the Company’s product portfolio and developing new markets.

“We expect Mr. Dalsager’s deep knowledge of the fishing industry and his vast experience will help to create a high performing global sales and marketing team, expand the customer base, develop new markets and sales channels, and increase the overall profitability of our growing product portfolio” - RFC CEO Fedor Kirsanov commented. “Through our ambitious investment program in vessels and shore plants and strategic partnerships, we intend to build an efficient global corporate and sales structure to support RFC’s objectives to become a global industry leader in wild caught seafood.”

New product under its own brand

Along the lines earlier in November RFC announced start of the production of fish fingers in 250-gram packing at the facilities of the “Espersen Group” in Russia which is known as world’s leader in the production of frozen fish products.

Fish fingers will be available to consumers in Russia before the end of the year 2018.

“We are going to re-introduce such a product as fish fingers to the Russian consumer,” - commented the RFC CEO, Fyodor Kirsanov. - “We offer the market new products of the highest quality - from a frozen at sea Alaska Pollock fillet, which preserves the healthy elements and the pure taste of this fish.”

In the near future, the “Espersen Group” will also begin production of portioned Alaska Pollock fillet in packaging 400 grams and minced Alaska Pollock meat of the highest category in packaging 450 grams for RFC.

Nordeco

Products in the “ready to cook” category will be produced under the own brand of RFC “Nordeco” in the amount of 5-6 thousand tons per year. All Nordeco products are made from fillets and minced meat of Alaska Pollock frozen at sea. During processing, the fish is not defrosted, which ensures high quality of the product.

In addition to the production at the facilities of the Espersen Group, the RFC produces Alaska Pollock fillets in 1 kilo packaging under the Nordeco brand directly on fishing trawlers. Since this year, the production of Alaska Pollock mincemeat in the same packaging has also been mastered.

The start of retail sales of Nordeco products is scheduled for the end of this year.

Agama-Nordeco

Since the beginning of 2019, the products of the combined brand “Agama-Nordeco” will also appear on the shelves.

Russian Fishery Company (RFC) CEO Fedor Kirsanov and the Agama Group CEO Yuri Alasheev signed a long-term agreement on joint production of premium quality Alaska Pollock “ready to cook” products in late October 2018.

Under the combined brand “Agama-Nordeco” 100-gram portions of fillet and mince will be produced from RFC’s Frozen-at-Sea (FAS) Alaska Pollock. Individually packed Alaska Pollock fillets are also to be produced. According to the agreement, RFC will supply FAS Alaska Pollock fillet and mince blocks as well as shatterpack to Agama production facilities. Agama will produce “ready to cook” products without full defrostation during processing, which will ensure the preservation of the nutritive properties and pure taste of Alaska Pollock.

RFC will start supplying FAS Alaska Pollock to the Agama Group as of December 2018. Products under the “Agama-Nordeco” brand will appear in the stores in the first quarter of 2019.