Getting consumers out of their comfort zones

Diadem Vasile Atodiresei is the biggest producer of carp in polyculture in Romania. At his two sites, one in Botosani and the other in Podu Iloaie, close to Iasci in the north eastern part of Romania, he produces some 1,500 tonnes of fish a year.

The output is a mix of freshwater species, common carp dominates the production, but bighead, silver, and grass carp, some European catsh, pike-perch, crucian carp, and paddle sh are the other species produced. Over the past years Mr Atodiresei has focused on optimising his production at the two sites, using better quality feeds, automating feed delivery, optimising the time and frequency of feeding, aerating the water, and other measures that have brought his yield to about 2 tonnes per ha. Now, however, he has added a small processing facility to the new farm in Podu Iloaiei close to Iasci, which is used for the manufacture of value-added products.

Moving up the value chain from fresh to processed fish

While Mr Atodiresei concentrates on managing the production from the two sites, his wife and his daughter, Sabina, are responsible for activities at the processing plant. Sabina Atodiresei returned from studying business and management in England a year ago and has been running the processing facility ever since. Alongside, she is studying for a master’s degree in food quality and safety at the University of Iasci. At the processing plant the products manufactured are value-added items and can be broadly categorised into smoked and non-smoked items. e former comprises smoked sh pieces and sausages made of sh meat, while the non-smoked items consist of zakuska (a paste of sh meat and vegetables, variations of which are produced across the Balkans) among other products. e zakuska comes in two variants, one that is half sh and half vegetables and another that is mainly sh with the vegetables added as seasoning. All the products are sold fresh (not frozen) and are ready to eat. Even the sh sausages do not have to be cooked further but can be eaten right away. e company, SC Rompescaris

SRL, has its own chain of shops from where the processed products are sold, but it also collaborates with boutique stores across most of the country—in Iasci, Botosani, Bucharest, and Constanta— for sales of its products. We have not yet penetrated Transylvania, says Sabine Atodiresei, a region in central Romania. It is quite complicated with shipping as the products have to be kept under refrigeration and customers (both the consumers and the vendors) are sometimes unwilling to bear these costs, besides the logistics of getting a consignment to the region can also be di cult. In addition, Ms Atodiresai, nds that when consumers agree to pay the shipping costs, they tend to expect a higher level of convenience, such as home delivery, which is tough to o er as an independent producer specialising in fresh products. It is di erent with a supermarket where consumers will typically buy a relatively large number of products that the supermarket can then ship directly to the door. In the niche production that Rompescaris represents, this distribution model is di cult to replicate. Ms Atodiresai is also talking to supermarkets as potential clients, but nds that the retailers are cautious about placing their bets on a supplier they do not know and they are anxious about reliability of supply among other factors. ey like the taste of the sausages and of the smoked sh, so that is not an issue, they need to be convinced that we are not a risk.

Maintaining appropriate conditions during distribution is important

e products are additive free which, while adding to their appeal, also reduces the shelf life and is another source of concern. e products have a shelf life of 36 days which means they have to be shipped and sold in a relatively short space of time. Stock levels too may not increase beyond a point to prevent waste, all of which add to the logistical complexity, as the product must be packaged and shipped as soon as it is ready and then quickly distributed from the main warehouse. We are talking to some regional supermarkets, Ms Atodiresai says, which is easier in some ways as they are closer to us, and we can if necessary do some of the distribution ourselves. Currently, she takes care of the distribution to areas that are relatively close while leaving more distant destinations to a professional shipping company. Rompescaris delivers some of its fresh sh as well and the vehicles will carry processed products for distribution when convenient. Using a delivery company is not without risks, says Ms Atodiresai, as you can never be quite sure how the product is treated when in transit. e products are packaged appropriately for transport but ascertaining the integrity of the cool chain throughout the journey has proved more di cult.

At its own stores Rompescaris sells not only its own products both fresh and processed, but also products from other Romanian suppliers, such as seafood and trout. e market for processed sh products in Romania is still small. Most consumers, when they buy sh, tend to buy whole gutted or even live sh, says Ms Atodiresai, and many are only interested in sh around the time of certain religious events, when sh is traditionally consumed. We are trying to educate them about the bene ts of sh and to encourage them to try processed sh products also when there are no religious events to commemorate. We try and get them out of their comfort zones, she says, convince them that the raw material in the processed products is precisely the same fresh sh only now in another form and with a di erent taste. It works best at food fairs because this is when people seem to be most receptive to trying something new. O ering samples at the stores does not seem to elicit the same response, some people will try, of course, and a few might even buy the products, but most will just purchase what they came for. e seafood show in Barcelona would have been a good place to o er product samples, but Sabina Atodiresai feels she is not quite ready to face the intricacies of exporting. We would like to rst have a rm grip on the domestic market before we venture abroad, she says. In addition, she is keen to promote the consumption of locally produced fare and exports counter that philosophy. For now, the preference of her customers for fresh sh is re ected in Rompescaris’ output, only 20 of which is processed items.

Processed fish products are mostly based on bighead carp

Bighead carp is the most commonly used sh for the processed products. It is nutritious and because it is large is easy to handle. Moreover, it is cheaper than, for example, common carp. Products are also made from common carp, but they are more expensive than those made from bighead and so tend only to be produced when the company is attending food fairs. e smoked sh products are also based on bighead carp and are usually parts of the sh that are smoked individually rather than the whole sh or even the llet. Smaller smoked portions are convenient also because once the vacuum packaging is opened the product should be consumed quickly and this is easier with a portion than with a llet. At the company stores customers can ask for the fresh sh they buy to be gutted, descaled, headed, cleaned, and cut into pieces whichever way they want ( llets, portions, steaks, etc.). e sh is very fresh as it is typically harvested the same day it is sold. Some of the sh is kept live in tanks for customers who want the freshest sh.

A gradual move towards greater sustainability

Rompescaris started experimenting with recipes for processing the sh at the end of 2021 and have been on the market for a year. Promotion at local food fairs has give Sabina Atodiresai insights into consumers in di erent parts of the country. In Iasci, the city close to where the company has its ponds and processing facility, people are more familiar with sh, they know more about it and consume it more than, for example, in Bucharest. In the capital, knowledge about sh is more limited and consumption is less linked to religious events, so sales are not as good as they are in Iasci, but, by the same token, consumers may be more willing to try new products, so for now Ms Atodiresai will continue to supply Bucharest. e company is also looking at expanding its portfolio of processed products, and Ms Atodiresai is considering canned products that she feels will be able to compete with traditional canned sh such as sardines and tuna. Like many of her generation

Ms Atodiresai is concerned about the environment and is trying to do her bit for sustainability. Metal cans and the glass jars used for the sh pastes t well into this strategy because they can be recycled. She is less enamoured of other forms of packaging such as lms though she realises that some compromises are necessary. She is exploring different options trying to nd the right balance between sustainability, functionality, and price. Being sustainable is important to me personally and I am trying to move the company in that direction too, she says.

SC Rompescaris SRL

Podu Iloaiei Iasci Romania

Tel.:+40 749 099190 office@bunatatidelaiaz.com Sabina.ato99@gmail.com www.bunatatidelaiaz.com

Owner: Diadem Vasile Atodiresei

Sales and marketing specialist: Sabina Atodiresei

Farm area: 580 ha in Botosani, 388 ha in Iasi

Production: 950 tonnes (Botosani), 550 tonnes (Iasi)

Species: Common carp, Chinese carps (bighead, silver, grass), crucian carp, European catfish, pikeperch, paddlefish

Clients: Carrefour, Auchan, restaurants

Own shops: 4

Product: Live fish, fresh on ice, smoked fish, fish sausages, fish pastes

Employees: 50-60 in Botosani, 45-50 in Iasi

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