The operator behind Grimsby Fish Market is moving into the supply business.
Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises Ltd is taking over the role that has been fulfilled by Atlantic Fresh for more than a decade, with Nelson Hunter joining from the Icelandic company as sales director.
It is a strategy to help drive supply to the second largest 海角视频 market, with 15,000 tonnes handled annually.
Martyn Boyers, chief executive of GFDE, said: “We have set up a new business, Grimsby Fish Market Ltd, to take over the fresh fish supplying interests of Atlantic Fresh, one of the main Icelandic suppliers to the market.
“It is something we have thought about for a few years, but with the main supplier – Atlantic Fresh managing director Orn Jonsson – moving back to Iceland and concentrating on other things, it has come to the fore.
“We also considered the future of the fish market and supplies. We had a position where we provided all the facilities, the services, be it grading or landing, but didn’t bring in any of the fish. This enables us to safeguard the future of the fish market.
“It is a big step, a complete change of direction for the business, but also an opportunity as we look to develop supplies to Grimsby. Grimsby still has the largest processing businesses in the 海角视频, if you are going to do anything with fish supplying, Grimsby is the best place to be.”
It comes at a year of fairly consistent market supply, with Iceland still dominating at 77 per cent of the 285,000 boxes sold, a shade under last year’s 300,000.
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Under Mr Boyers’ watch, the organisation responsible for the old fish docks and immediate quaysides has branched out into offshore wind and enhanced vessel maintenance facilities, with the huge investment in Grimsby Shipyard Services, another division.
He said: “There will be challenges because we are involved in a trade business, but opportunities too. Before we could only deal with what came in, now we can help drive volume through, so it gives us more opportunity.
“Nelson is coming with Icelandic suppliers, and we also have got a Norwegian supplier, so we throw that in too, and we’ll be looking at opportunities to develop further in the new year.
“He is widely known, anyone who buys fish knows Nelson, and there is a lot of support for what we have done.”
Scores of white-coated merchants still buy from the 7am auctions, processing it and selling to retail, restaurants, take-aways and mobile fishmongers, often withing hours of a sale completing.
It is a focal point for visiting dignitaries, no more so than the Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week.
Mr Hunter said: “I started with Atlantic Fresh 11 years ago, and back then there were two markets, with Hull as well. There has been a lot of consolidation, markets, merchants - as we’ve seen with Jaines and Albert Darnell recently- and operators in Iceland too.
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“We moved offices a few years ago into the market, and with that familiarity came chances to bounce ideas about. It then seemed to fall into place.
“I’m still in touch with the Atlantic Fresh customer base and can hopefully expand it. There is a strong appetite to send fish where you can get a good price, it has been a good year this year, with good figures.”
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