A top-class seafood

With the rapid development of Zhangzidao Fishery, high-quality seafood is supplied to the world's discerning dinners from a small island in northeast China," said Wu Hougang, president of Dalian Zhangzidao Fishery Group Co Ltd.

In the evening of July 23, when Japanese aquaculture companies hosted a banquet at the Tokyo Kaikan for their Chinese counterparts during the 10th Japan International Seafood and Technology Expo, raw seafood served at the banquet was sea urchins imported from Dalian-based Zhangzidao.

"We did not arrange a Chinese brand on purpose. It is because the Zhangzidao sea urchin is so famous in Japan that it is a required choice on the menu," said Hiroyasu Itoh, president of Japan's Chuo Gyorui Co Ltd.

Takanoshin Nagamochi, the 94-year-old leader of Japanese aquaculture and honorary chairman of Riken Vitamin Co Ltd, also praised Zhangzidao at the banquet.

"Zhangzidao Island is to China's fisheries what Hokkaido is to Japan. It is the Chinese (equivalent of) Maruha," he said, referring to the Japanese company ranked No 1 globally in the sector.
"Our sales network of seafood covers all China and also extends to 18 countries and regions like Japan, the United States and Australia, where our products are well received by consumers," said company President Wu.

Established in 1958, Zhangzidao has grown into a large-scale company with multiple businesses covering seafood breeding, processing, domestic and foreign trade, and ocean transportation.
The company that begun on a small island went public on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in September 2006 after developing over half a century.

Last October, it became the only Chinese fishery approved by the World Economic Forum as a founding member of its Global Growth Companies community.

Zhangzidao Island, called the "Pearl of the Yellow Sea", offers distinct advantages in developing aquatic products. Totaling less than 15 sq km, it is 56 nautical miles from Dalian at 39 degrees north latitude, the most suitable for the growth of marine creatures. Abalone, trepang and other seafood grown near the island are rich in nutrition and taste good.

As the best domestic seafood, Zhangzidao abalone was chosen by former Premier Zhou Enlai to serve at the State banquet for US President Richard Nixon in 1972.

Fishermen of the island were proud and it was the initial power for them to forge the brand Zhangzidao, which in 2006 became China's first well-known trademark in aquaculture.
"Using the sea area and protecting it for 10,000 years," is the company motto, reflecting its development through protecting the natural environment, making technical innovation, and studying advanced overseas cultivation techniques.

Becoming competitive

Wu noted China is a big but not significant country in growing and harvesting aquatic products. The nation's aquaculture needs more influential brands to be competitive in the global market, he said.

In a bid to be competitive, Zhangzidao promoted standardized procedures in breeding, processing and transporting aquatic products. Its exports have received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and meet British Retail Consortium food standards.

In 2007 when the US FDA officials visited the 40,000-hectare cultivation area, they noted the clean water, advanced cultivation technology, system-wide quality and the advanced testing equipment. They gave it their valuable stamp of approval.

The quality of its products forged competitive power for the Zhangzidao brand. Its seafood entered markets in the US and Australia in 2000. Its Yezo scallops now have a market share of about 60 percent in Australia.

Its trademark has been registered in 30 regions. Its export volume has increased to reach $17.5 million in value last year.

In Wu's opinion, a company can share in the global market only by going out and marketing. Zhangzidao began subsidiaries in Boston and Hong Kong this year to accelerate the company's internationalization.

With operations in Boston, the North American market is within reach. Its subsidiary in Hong Kong can radiate out to Southeast Asia using the island's international trade and finance connections, Wu said.