produits de la mer - n°200 - Avril-mai 2020 - 118

Special feature ❘ BASS SEABREAM

Restaurants:
the trend of organic food and ikejime
Environmental concerns,
slaughtering methods,
the possibility of maturing
meat, texture and colour
requirements: restaurant
owners' expectations
favour a move upmarket.

L.F.

ollowing the example of what
is happening in butchers'shops,
where matured meat has developed in recent years, fish wholesalers are upgrading their range of wild
fish on offer particularly with Bass and
Seabream. In the wake of restaurants
offering carpaccio, tartare or ceviche,
consumer awareness of the appearance
of fish flesh is increasing. And with it,
expectations in terms of texture and
colour. "Regarding appearance, slaughtering using the ikejime method shows
exceptional results" comments Kevin
Hamelin, fish sales manager at the
Rennes wholesaler Ame-Haslé.
High-end restaurant owners are very
fond of this method, which means "killing
the animal alive" when it comes out of the
water rather than letting it die asphyxiated.
In addition to its organoleptic advantages,
it increases the preservation period of fish
and permits maturation for up to three
weeks. On average, ikejime fish, which
are increasingly present at fish auctions in
Finistère, are 20% more expensive.
Another trend in independent quality catering is the growing preference for
organically farmed products instead of
wild fish on the part of great chefs. "There
is a growing awareness of the risks linked
to the presence of pollutants in the sea,"
argues Mathias Ismaïl, R&O CEO. The
company, which makes 52% of its turnover from restaurants, is the leading company in the distribution of organic seafood
products and these ranges already make
up 5% of its annual sales. In Greece, in
the Gulf of Corinth, R&O manages a vertically-integrated organic production com-

With its organic products from the Gulf of Corinth, R&O targets the bistro-style gastronomy market.

600
t

organic in the Golf
of Corinth.

mercialised with the Oso brand, including hatching and on-growing. Last year,
500 tons were produced in this sector,
half of which is divided between Bass and
Seabream. By 2020, a production between
550 and 600 tons is anticipated. The main
market for this production is bistro-style
gastronomy and its customers, who are
"aware of environmental issues", according to Mathias Ismaïl. "The products are
often used in recipes inspired by Japan or
Peru: raw or cooked in sauces, often with
lemon juice."

Restaurants have expectations concerning the size of products and they
need them to be easy to use. On the one
hand, chefs are asking for rather large
pieces which they will cut themselves. On
the other hand, managers in brasseries or
in institutional catering - for their management meals- , want products which
are above all easy to use and to integrate
into their menu. "They want ready-tosnack products which require as little
work as possible," says Kevin Hamelin of
Ame-Haslé. n

Collective : l'enjeu du cœur de marché

ux Grecs, les enseignes de grande distribution, aux Turcs, les grossistes de Rungis ? Si les positions évoluent, les fournisseurs turcs dominent le segment des produits d'appel et du cœur
de gamme en restauration collective. Ils restent néanmoins sensibles aux évolutions sociétales,
notamment en matière de bien-être animal. C'est pour répondre aux demandes des enseignes
britanniques Tesco et Morrisons, soucieuses de ne pas se mettre à dos les ONG wellfaristes, que
l'entreprise turque Ilknak, a développé l'abattage par stunner. « Cette technique d'étourdissement électrique permet de tuer les poissons sans stress », explique Dimitri Geralis, représentant français de l'entreprise. L'argument n'est pas facile à communiquer en restauration
collective, mais il constitue un avantage concurrentiel vis-à-vis des acheteurs. Et permet de se
distinguer de fournisseurs grecs, qui ont leurs propres arguments : « Notre logistique est plus
rapide, explique Alexandra Giannoti, chez Nireus. Nous offrons une journée de fraîcheur de
plus. Sans parler de nos certifications, plus fiables, et des contrôles, toujours plus compliqués
à effectuer en Turquie. »

❘ 118 ❘ PRODUITS DE LA MER N°200 APRIL-MAY 2020

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