CONTENTS 03
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MISSION AND VALUE
COMPANY BIOGRAPHY
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STURGEON SUSTAINABILITY
STURGEON AND CAVIAR INFORMATION
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
PRODUCTS
MISSION AND VALUE
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ur vision is to continue to be one of the world’s best caviar producers, leading the industry with the dedication and passion that characterizes a family business. Having pioneered cultivation in the Southern Hemisphere, our vision is for our brand and its origin to be recognized worldwide so we can remain the new standard in the caviar industry. Our mission is sustainability, innovation, and a passion for culinary excellence. We produce the best caviar in the world while respecting the environment; we continue to lead innovation in sturgeon breeding, grow our ďŹ sh in a natural way, and perfect our production methods allowing us to deliver a unique product of constant quality. Throughout the whole process, we want our team to be proud of being part of this project, to grow individually and together as our brand advances.
Black River Caviar Brochure
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n 1990, after many years of working closely with the fishing industry and witnessing the catastrophic devastation of the natural habitat of sturgeons, Walter Alcalde had the vision, persistence, and determination to start the ambitious enterprise known today as Esturiones del Río Negro. Mr. Alcalde and his sons pioneered what has now become one of the world’s best caviar producers, widely exporting abroad and seeking to continue their expansion process. Built on solid foundations and family values the company has a rich, diverse history as the first sturgeon farm in the Southern Hemisphere. Following in the footsteps of their visionary father the Alcalde family has built Black River Caviar with intense focus on preservation and sustainability of the sturgeon species. Successors, Pablo, Hugo, Javier, and Roman Alcalde’s passion for sturgeon combined with their leadership within the region have established Black River Caviar as a leader in Southern Hemisphere caviar production. Farming the sturgeon is a family affair, with members of the Alcalde family working in every aspect of production, focused on consistency and sustainability. As Roman Alcalde says, “this business is our way of life. It is the expression of who we are as a family. It is our purpose in life.”
Graham C. Gaspard Mr. Gaspard has been involved in Black river Caviar since 2003, serving as president since 2008. He has personally overseen the brand development, distribution, and direct sales of Black River Caviar since its inception. With 14 years experience in the caviar industry and more than 22 years working in food & beverage distribution, Graham has an extensive history in connoisseurship of wine and other fine products. His drive and hands-on quality control have made BRC what it is today. Black River Caviar Brochure
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STURGEON SUSTAINABILITY
Resource Challenges
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turgeon take 6 to 25 years to reach maturity and many species spawn only once every 3 to 4 years. This, combined with overfishing, poaching, poor fishery management, and habitat destruction has seriously threatened the ability of wild sturgeon to reproduce at a sustainable rate. Today, many species are not only endangered but facing possible extinction. In 2003 the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) lobbied the caviar producing Caspian Sea nations. It was agreed that quotas would be enforced that would cut harvests to a fraction of what they had been in hopes of seeing sturgeon stocks return to acceptable levels. This had little effect and illegal fishing and poaching continued. In 2005, a full ban was placed on all sturgeon fishing within the Caspian and its estuaries. These conditions had a huge impact on the market in the U.S. as chefs began taking caviar off their menus and consumers cut back on consumption.
Sustainable Sturgeon Farming
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lack River Caviar is dedicated to responding proactively and innovatively to these damaging conditions while maintaining superior quality. Our products are unique. They are a result of sustainable farming and more than seven years of sturgeon breeding in captivity. The sturgeons are bred in a culture system located in an environment that mimics the habitat in which these fish grow in the wild. Apart from respecting the animal’s quality of life and its environment, the combination of the wild and the designed habitat allows sturgeons to grow in a natural way, also facilitating control tasks throughout the whole process. Through this process we are able to ensure the sturgeon’s appropriate development both for sustainability and product quality. The sturgeon’s long breeding and production process makes it a unique animal among the other commonly bred species in aquaculture. That is why it is so important to be extremely familiar with the species and to master its breeding technique. Our team’s knowledge and passion in mastering the breeding technique, mixing the natural with the designed farming environment, and placing the fish in a healthy habitat make our products unique; we provide a perfect blend of the wild kingdom and captive breeding by closely monitoring the fish throughout their life cycle.
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Black River Caviar Brochure
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STURGEON AND CAVIAR Since the mid 90’s, we have been breeding sturgeons under strict control to make sure we deliver high-quality products that may please the most discriminating palates.
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aviar is extracted after a long breeding process, once the female has reached the optimal maturity age. This is determined through a permanent monitoring of the fish in a personalized, individual manner. As a result of the persistent search for innovation, unique technology has been developed, allowing sexing the fish at a very early stage, thus enabling us to channel all our efforts into culturing females to make caviar. In the process, the meat of both the male and the female sturgeon is obtained; the male’s at the time of sexing, and the female’s when processed to extract caviar. Being at the forefront of sustainable sturgeon farming has its advantages. Black River Caviar has developed a vast library of genetics to ensure a continuous supply of fresh, high quality caviar. Multiple varieties are hatched and farmed with preservation in mind. The farm’s clean environment, adjoining a constant supply of fresh water, is designed to mimic the sturgeon’s natural habitat-creating a healthy, superior product.
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Recognition and Accolades
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lack River Caviar has been recognized by fine food and wine industry experts as among the finest caviar producers in the world. Our caviar has won blind taste tests against the most luxurious Russian and Iranian brands. Our rich history and impeccable reputation has enabled us to secure strong and enduring relationships with some of the most respected chefs in the industry. The Top Chef Master’s series for 2015 on Bravo highlighted ten Top Chef Masters, five of which are clients and supporters of Black River Caviar.
KEY FACTORS THAT SEPARATE BLACK RIVER CAVIAR FROM OTHER PRODUCERS SUPERIOR QUALITY
Traceability We know exactly where each tin came from, the exact sturgeon and a record of it’s health as well as who processed it and when.
KEY ASPECTS OF QUALITY CAVIAR First: Sight - Shiny, firm, with separation Second: Smell - Clean smell of the sea Last: Taste - Creamy, nutty, not fishy
Sustainability We have achieved the Marine Conservation Institute’s highest rating of GREEN for efforts towards sustainability. Black River Caviar was also recognized by World Wildlife Fund for efforts towards preserving sturgeon species. Pristine environment Black River Caviar values purity of product and that begins with the sturgeons’ environment. Family operation Black River Caviar is built on a passion for realizing Walter Alcalde’s dream of producing the finest caviar in the world with respect for sturgeon farming and the environment. Caviar Master Roman Alcalde has over 20 years of experience producing caviar. He was trained by both Russian and Iranian caviar masters.
Black River Caviar Brochure
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How To Store Caviar Caviar should be kept as cold as possible but never frozen, so it doesn’t spoil its firmness. The ideal temperature is between 28 & 34 degrees Fahrenheit (due to salt content Caviar has a lower freezing point). We suggest opening the can at the moment of consuming the caviar. Otherwise, it should be eaten within 2-3 days of opening.
How long does it take for a sturgeon to produce caviar? Depending on the species, a sturgeon could take from 5 to 8 years to produce caviar in a farmed environment and between 15 to 20 years to produce caviar in the wild.
What separates Black River Caviar as a top producer? There are four key factors that make our product difficult to reproduce: the natural environment, the strict technical and sanitary controls under which sturgeons are bred, the use of our perfected and characteristic “recipe” to make caviar, and the traceability of the fish from the moment they are born until the caviar is served at the consumer’s table.
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PRODUCTS
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ur caviar is is always fresh due to our year round harvest. We produce our caviar based on our customers’ needs and requests and never freeze.
At present, we offer Oscietra and Siberian caviar with plans to produce Sevruga soon.
Oscietra This variety of caviar is made from acipenser gueldenstaedtii sturgeon roe, of Russian origin. With a 3.2 mm diameter, their color ranges from light brown to golden. Their texture is firm with a unique glazed shine, and their intense creamy taste with a touch of nuts nicely remains in the whole palate.
Siberian This variety of caviar is made from acipenser baerii sturgeon, of Siberian origin (Russia). Its roe diameter goes from 2.9 to 3 mm, and their color ranges from dark gray to walnut brown, and occasionally gold. With a firm and distinct texture, their taste is subtly buttery, with a slight hint of dry fruit, very agreeable to the palate. In the rest of its properties, this variety is similar to Oscietra.
Black River Caviar also plans to source other gourmet products, complimentary to the high quality caviar we already offer.
Black River Caviar Brochure
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URUGUAY Head Office Rambla 25 de agosto de 1825, n° 410 C.P.: 11.000. Montevideo Tel: +598 2915 3203 Fax: +598 2915 2236 info@blackrivercaviar.com.uy Sturgeon and Caviar Farm Río Negro. Ruta 4 s/n. info@blackrivercaviar.com.uy
Welcome to the world of caviar. Welcome to Black River Caviar, the first and only caviar brand in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sturgeon and Caviar Farm Río Negro. Ruta 4 s/n. ESTURIONES DEL RÍO NEGRO S.A. USA Head office 0075 Sunset Drive Breckenridge, Colorado 80424-7218 Of!ce:970-547-1542 Fax :970-547-9707 Toll Free:888-315-0575 ext.1 graham@blackrivercaviar.com For further information please visit www.blackrivercaviar.com.uy