From catch to table via in-house processing and cold-chain logistics, with benefits for coastal fishers
Dongwon Industries announced Wednesday it will begin full-scale distribution of domestically caught bluefin tuna using a refrigerated cold-chain logistics network.
The company will purchase bluefin tuna caught by coastal fishers and offer it as fresh sashimi that has never been frozen, from catch to delivery. The product will be available through major retail channels including E-mart, Hyundai department stores and Lotte Mart, as well as Naver's brand store.
Bluefin tuna catches along Korea's coastal waters have surged in recent years due to climate change and rising sea temperatures, but coastal fishers have struggled to secure reliable sales channels. In March, Dongwon Industries signed an MOU with the Large Purse Seine Fisheries Cooperative and built a system to purchase the fishers' catch, process it quickly and supply it to consumers through its own distribution network.
"We are now able to bring coastal marine resources to consumers quickly and in their freshest form," a Dongwon Industries official said. "We will continue to expand the retail infrastructure for marine resources in partnership with domestic coastal fishers."
andy@heraldcorp.com
