Pure Salmon secures distribution agreement with Japanese trading giant Itochu

Land-based salmon producer Pure Salmon has secured a prestigious distribution partner for the 10,000 tons of Atlantic salmon it will produce annually from its new state of the art facility in Tsu City, Japan.

The new facility is due to be finished in 2021, but such is the demand for clean, high-quality, sustainable salmon in the region, the Japanese trading giant Itochu has already agreed to distribute the locally produced fish under the brand name ‘Soul of Japan’.

Itochu Press Release

Less than a year after the launch of Soul of Japan K.K. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo), and a full two years before the Tsu City facility goes into production, this is a major vote of confidence in Pure Salmon’s business vision, from one of Asia’s most prestigious trading corporations.

The deal is a major step towards the firm’s aim of becoming a world leader in the supply of clean, sustainable salmon, free of antibiotics, pesticides, hormones and microplastics.

The Tsu City facility of Mie Prefecture is an optimum distance from Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, allowing easy distribution to Japan’s most populous main consumption centres. At 137,000 square metres, it will be the largest land-based salmon farm ever built in Asia.

Pure Salmon will produce annually from its new state of the art facility in Tsu City, Japan.

Kenichi Tai, Chief Operation Officer, Fresh Food Division of food company, Itochu said: “We are delighted to have signed this landmark agreement with Soul of Japan which will bring fresh, healthy and sustainable salmon to our customers in the Japanese market. We also look forward to developing and broadening this relationship in the future to include other markets where Pure Salmon is building land-based salmon facilities.”

Stephane Farouze, Board Director of Pure Salmon and Chairman and Founder of 8F Asset Management, said: “This agreement, with one of the largest and most respected distribution partners in the region, is further proof of the huge appetite in Asia for fresh, sustainable, land farmed salmon. It is a significant achievement for us, and a major milestone on our journey to providing consumers around the world with safe, environmentally friendly salmon, free from microplastics, antibiotics, pesticides and other contaminants.”

Erol Emed, CEO of Soul of Japan, said: “The retail value of this agreement is worth approximately US$200m annually. Our distribution deal with Itochu is a significant validation of our strategy and vision. And it should be a clear indication to the industry that, despite being a new business, we have a product and an operation that should be taken very seriously.”

This announcement follows news of Pure Salmon’s ambitious launches, a fully operational facility in Poland (producing adult-size fish of 4-5kg) and projects underway in Japan, Europe, America, China and Lesotho that will contribute to Pure Salmon’s aim to produce 260,000 tons of salmon per annum in facilities around the world.