From off-cut to on trend
Brussels: Trout bellies are proving to be a big hit at this year’s Seafood Expo Global, with demand for the product – once seen as an off-cut by consumers – apparently on the rise.
Indeed, as John Nicholson, Head of Strategy and Development at Dawnfresh – Scotland’s largest trout producer – told Fish Farming Expert: “It seems like the whole world is trying to buy bellies today.”
These cuts, which are known as harasu in Japan, are prized for their high fat content, which gives them a melt-in-the-mouth texture when used in sushi.
However, as he explains, it’s by no means as simple as turning a by-product into a premium product, as the main market for the cuts is the Far East, and Japan in particular, where the way the bellies are cut is scrutinised very closely indeed.
“To get the best price the bellies need to be cut by hand – Japanese buyers won’t pay the same price if a machine has been used. And although we have lots of skilled knife workers, we need to fine tune these skills and also understand exactly what potential customers are looking for,” he explains.
Harasu are by no means, however, the only game in town for Dawnfresh – who now export 10% of their trout HOG to North America, with 7 hubs in the States and one in Canada and their trout was on the menu at this year’s Golden Globes.
They are also looking towards expanding into Europe and are about to launch in the Delhaize supermarket chain, in Belgium, David Rae, International Business Unit Manager at the Uddingston-based firm, told Fish Farming Expert.
