Balfegó's sales of bluefin tuna in the national market for the first time in 2018 reached the 25.99 per cent of the total turnover recorded by the company in that year. With this percentage, Spain is the second Balfegó’s destination market for bluefin tuna, behind Japan, which accounted for 28 per cent of sales last year, and ahead of the United States, which, with 25.95 per cent, occupies the third place at only four tenths.
Balfegó attributes this growth in demand for its product in Spain to its intense release work, the quality of its product and the unique digital traceability system that certifies the legality and sustainability of each piece of tuna that leaves its factory.
From the company it is highlighted that it is the only company that supplies fresh bluefin year-round and it captured 1,872 tonnes of this species in 2018 and exported its product to 32 countries.
Balfegó Group: Brand and transparency
Balfegó began intense release work throughout the country 11 years ago to raise awareness of the characteristics of bluefin tuna and the different culinary techniques from which to extract the gastronomic value of this fish.
Specifically, this year, the company will visit the main cities and towns of a total of 12 autonomous communities with the aim of sharing the different ways of cooking and tasting this product with different local chefs in more than 1,400 restaurants.
This activity is carried out within the framework of the so-called Balfegó Bluefin Tuna Days, an initiative that starts on March 22, and will run for nine months (until November 2019). During this period, each restaurant prepares an exclusive dish or menus with bluefin tuna as the main ingredient with the aim of highlighting the gastronomic versatility of this product, whether raw, marinated, filleted, baked or as a basic ingredient of rice and stews.
From Balfegó to your table
In the last edition, 1,302 restaurants joined during a total of eight gastronomic days, and this year it is expected that more than 1,400 restaurants will participate during the eleven days when it will take place in different towns of Asturias and Cantabria, Galicia, Catalonia, Aragon, Balearic Islands, Valencia, Murcia, Madrid, Castilla y León, Andalusia and the Basque Country.
For all this informative work, which adds to their business activities, Balfegó has obtained different awards over the years.
Recently, the company has been included among the most Innovative Projects of the year by the Observatory of Great Consumption Innovation in Spain 2019, which is carried out by Cerdà Institute. The study highlights Balfegó's commitment to sustainability and traceability, with a pioneering digital management system in the world that, through a QR code that accompanies each piece of tuna, allows each of the specimens to be individually identified and accredited. Thanks to this technology, consumers can access all the information about the product they are tasting: capture date and area, weight, length or level of fat, in addition to health and quality certificates.
The top 5 trends shaping the salmon processing industry Worldwide
How processors are embracing innovation to succeed in an evolving market
As the salmon processing industry continues to evolve, staying informed about the latest trends and changes is crucial for com...