Sojitz acquired the UK seafood processing and sales company SFIH and made NESI a consolidated subsidiary. It aims to capture growing European demand for whitefish by strengthening its supply chain.
Sojitz announced that it had acquired シーラスカ・フーズ・インターナショナル・ホールディングス (SFIH), a UK company engaged in seafood processing and sales. The acquisition price was not disclosed. By gaining control of the supply chain, Sojitz aims to capture growing European demand for whitefish and other products.
Sojitz made ニュー・イングランド・シーフード・インターナショナル (NESI), a subsidiary of SFIH, a consolidated subsidiary. NESI is strong in salmon and cod sales, mainly in the UK, and has whitefish procurement bases in Norway and Iceland, creating an integrated structure covering product development through sales.
The UK seafood market is estimated at approximately ¥900 billion, and demand for Japanese food is also expected to grow. Sojitz plans to procure seafood jointly with SFIH and develop markets in Europe, North America and elsewhere by leveraging both companies' sales networks.
Since 2022, Sojitz has built its platform in Japan by acquiring companies involved in the processing, wholesale and sale of seafood such as tuna. In 2024, it also acquired a sushi business in the United States. The company is expected to strengthen its seafood business by applying the expertise it has developed in Japan.