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Excellence in Salmon Production Passion for quality in this protein’s production
Written by Mateo Rafael Tablado Produced by Taybele Piven Interviewee José Luis Vial, CEO for Ventisqueros S.A.
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“We focus into producing highquality protein in a very productive and highly efficient environment” – José Luis Vial, CEO for Ventisqueros S.A
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entisqueros is a world leader in salmon production, operating in southern Chile; the company produced 35,000 metric tons in 2015. The company is part of Germany’s Schörghuber Corporate Group, involved in Chile’s aquaculture development since 1989. “The Group has supplied intensive support, displaying a high degree of commitment to the company and to the development of southern Chile,” said José Luis Vial, CEO for Ventisqueros. Mr. Vial graduated in Commercial Engineering at the Universidad Católica de Chile. Born in Santiago, he moved to Puerto Varas (located
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just about 600 miles south of Santiago) eight years ago. He has focused his career in management and finances for over 20 years now, making his mark at companies such as Fortune 500 enterprise Marsh & McLennan, as well as AquaChile, Chile’s largest salmon production company, which he launched into the Santiago Stock Exchange in 2011, raising its worth to more than $370 million. During late 2015, he was offered his current position at Ventisqueros, taking over the company in February, 2016. Ventisqueros has two sales offices: one in Puerto Montt, Chile and another in Miami, USA, the latter in a partnership with Blumar
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SA, another Chilean company involved in the aquaculture industry. Ventisqueros registered $175 million in sales in 2015. Ventisqueros is the first company in Chile to become certified for the species known as ‘coho’ (aka Pacific salmon) under the Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s (ASC) standards. Control at every stage, guaranteeing stock availability Ventisqueros is focused at every stage of its integrated value chain process; this control provides safety and compliance in order to guarantee its customers the timely deliveries as well as the required quality and quantities, yielding the same standards of quality, freshness and flavor for their products. This vertical integration takes from breeding fish at sea farming sites and processing plants, to finished, whole
products and fillet, and sales abroad. Ventisqueros is able to balance sales in each market, favoring valueadded products to supermarket chains, supplying these mainly of fillets and whole fish. Infrastructure for operational strength Ventisqueros’s six fish farming locations have a combined capacity of approx. 10 million smolts per year (young salmon of approx. 4 ounces) whose condition allows them to migrate to the sea, where they reach an average weight of 11lb. or more. These ponds are located in inland areas and controlled environments, conditions in which the weather and surrounding fauna, among other factors, do not affect breeding. Depending on the species, the fish are subsequently fed and grown for 12 to 18 months at the company’s 44 aquaculture
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$175 Million
Annual revenue of Ventisqueros S.A.
concessions in Chile’s Northern Patagonia, until reaching their optimal weight for harvest. From here, the fish are distributed to one of three processing plants. One plant is located in Río Negro-Hornopirén, and the other two in the Puerto Montt region. Different fresh and frozen fish product formats are produced at these plants: whole salmon, fillets and portions. The Chincui Processing Plant in Puerto Montt has the capacity to process 150 tons of salmon fillets a day; and can produce more than 70 thousand tons of raw salmon annually. Prestige abroad Estimations report approximately half a million people in the world eat Ventisqueros salmon every day. The company’s key areas are the US, Japan, Brazil and Russia, supplying mainly to large supermarket chains and wholesalers. The US operation is supported by their shared office with Blumar SA and is constantly searching
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Year founded
1985
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for new opportunities to expand foreign distribution. Tentative markets include countries like Israel, China, Mexico and other Asian regions. The company has taken a huge step into Asian territory this year following the recognition by AEON, one of Japan’s major supermarket chains. This is the first time a Japanese retailer counts on a Chilean provider as a strategic partner in Pacific salmon (or Coho) with ASC certification.
Technology’s contribution to product quality and condition The purpose for Ventisqueros’s investments in new technology is to maintain quality standards at every stage, facilitating control of oxygen levels, water temperature and other factors. In this way, the fish are transported live in wellboats from the farms to the processing plant. Other recent implementations include a continuous tunnel freezer, allowing the company to offer a stable product. New packaging guarantee
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Skretting is the world leader in the manufacture and supply of aquaculture feeds. We apply our knowledge of ingredients and the nutritional needs of fish and shrimp to develop innovations that achieve optimum nutritional value, sustainable production and economic performance as we seek to fulfil our company-wide mission of ‘Feeding the Future’.
www.skretting.com
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products’ meeting full weight and eggs, boasting the most genetically arriving in healthy conditions. refined material in the Atlantic Currently, electric fish stunners salmon and rainbow trout industry. are used in the reaping process. This The Chilean subsidiary provides device eliminates the fish’s stress Ventisqueros with 100 percent of before slaughter, complying with Atlantic salmon eggs; while joint animal welfare standards. efforts are responsible for Pacific The implementation of salmon (coho) eggs. Marel’s integrated Innova Following genetics, production control the most important system optimizes element in the care production, adapting and growth of fish to each stage of is their feeding, the process. which makes up Employees more than 50 percent til December A better product of the final cost. For 31st, 2015 from conception to this part of the process, the plate Ventisqueros has signed In mid-2016, Ventisqueros partnerships with suppliers such established an egg supply agreement as Skretting, Biomar and Ewos. with AquaGen-Chile, part of the Norwegian group AquaGen ASA, Talent development specialized in fish development, and progression reproduction and genetics; the Ventisqueros’ Organizational group’s a leading provider of fertilized Development Department deals
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with vacant positions, giving priority to current employees. Headhunters are used to a lesser extent when the best options cannot be found within the areas of operation. The company bases its training and induction into three main areas: technical training, soft skills and transversal skills; the latter involve a set of technical skills that every worker must have. This lays the foundation for each critical and strategic position at Ventisqueros, developing each employee’s career path. In addition, the company grants “Ventisqueros scholarships”, covering 50 percent of the costs of every graduate program. More than 20 employees have benefited from this grant since 2013. Cruelty-free, environmentally friendly processes Ventisqueros’s ASC certification involves a series of guarantees:
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WE ARE REFERENTS
IN THE LOGISTIC SERVICES RELATED WITH THE TEMPERATURECONTROLLED SUPPLY CHAIN
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they are not only endorsed for meeting standards within the industry’s global best practices, but they also ensure clients that by purchasing Ventisqueros products they are promoting a work ethic dedicated and committed to providing genetically superior sea products, grown under the highest standards and care, with hygiene and natural well-being certificates. Each Ventisqueros facility has
water treatment systems that ensure that waste does not reach river waters, in compliance with SISS provisions. These systems also prevent fish from escaping, so that the local wildlife is not impacted by fish farmed by the company. Each farm site is evaluated under the guidelines set out by Chile’s Environmental Qualification Resolutions (RCA).
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Chinquihue Kilรณmetro 14 Puerto Montt, Llanquihue, Chile
+56 (65) 2569701 curzua@ventisqueros.cl www.ventisqueros.com