Salmon, mussels, hake and a series of Chilean seafood products are present at the Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, the main business fair of the sector in Europe, which every year brings together actors from the entire chain of the industry.
In the instance, which takes place between April 22 and 25, Chile is represented by a national pavilion of 474 square meters, in which 15 national production companies will show the varied offer of the country from salmon, hake, swordfish and cuttlefish to seafood such as mussels, clams and razor clams among other products. all in different formats and presentations.
With a privileged geography and extensive access to the waters of the Pacific Ocean, Chile has a long tradition of fishing and aquaculture linked to local communities, and has a wide range of products of recognized freshness, quality and safety.
“Spain is a major consumer of seafood products and known for its demand for quality, so being successful in this market favors a positive reception in the rest of Europe,” said ProChile’s commercial director in Spain, Gabriel Guggisberg Alarcón.
For this reason, he said, the fair presents an “unmissable opportunity for Chile to show what it is capable of offering, with fresh and tasty products from the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, with a guarantee of quality and sustainability in its processes, which allows it to have world leadership in several categories, such as fresh salmon fillets, mussels and a wide variety of frozen foods. Particularly in Spain, in addition to the sustained increase in mussels, we have seen a significant increase in salmon, with exports growing almost 2.5 times over the last 10 years.”
The Seafood Expo Global will be held at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via (Spain). In the more than 50,000 square meters of the venue, last year 87 exhibiting countries participated, with companies of fresh products, processed products, service providers, packaging and logistics for the industry and others. The opening cocktail of the Chile Pavilion at the Seafood Expo Global 2024 will be on April 23 at 2 p.m.
Route of Chilean seafood in Europe
Chile’s presence at the Seafood Expo Global 2024 is part of a strategy to promote seafood in Europe, particularly in markets that show growth potential, in the east of the continent. Between April 17 and 19, six Chilean companies participated in a tour of the Polish and Lithuanian markets to promote Chile’s exportable seafood offer, an event that included networking events and meetings with 15 potential buyers.
“The Polish and Lithuanian markets are alternatives to the traditional markets of the European Union. Both are important reprocessors and re-exporters, both to the markets of the region and to other European and world countries,” said ProChile’s commercial representative in Warsaw, Katarzyna Kazmierska.
Seafood exports to Europe from Chile topped $1.35 billion last year, up nearly 26% from the previous year, with Spain accounting for more than 20% of those shipments. On the continent, the high quality of Chilean products, the country’s reputation as a producer of nutritious and safe food, as well as industry certifications in the area of sustainability are valued.
