AnT Seafood is one of the largest suppliers of seabass, seabream, trout and other seafood to retail and foodservice markets across the globe. Hannah Barnett spoke to CEO Jonas Roman and Sales Manager Dee Bhambhani to learn more.
Arguably the most significant year in the history of AnT Seafood was 2006; the year that the company moved into the bass and bream market.
“At that time, the market was very undeveloped,” said Jonas Roman, CEO. “There was no way of freezing a product and nobody knew how to fillet it on a full production line. But we were able to make a significant impact in the development of that sector and have grown with the sector.”
AnT Seafood has grown by 10-15% every year since it established itself in bass and bream to become one of the biggest producers, importers and distributors of the fish in Europe.
Controlling the supply chain
AnT Seafood now distributes a range of products to a broad cross-section of customers in the wholesale catering, foodservice and retail sectors, across both the frozen and fresh segment. The company’s world-leading facilities and slick production chain allow it to meet growing demand and deliver unparalleled service .
“With bass and bream, we produce our own feed made from anchovies caught in the Black Sea and we have our own hatchery,” Mr Roman explained. “So, we own each step ourselves and have full control over the whole production chain.”
The company expects to end 2024 with a turnover of €150 million, of which 65% will come from bass and bream, mainly in the frozen market.
Working from an HQ in Urk, the oldest fishing village in Holland, the business has additional offices in Spain, Italy and the UK, while production and processing takes place in Turkey. Seafood is now successfully exported to 34 countries.
The company also offers value-added fish products, such as breaded and prefried, or with sauce toppings. Across food service and retail the company provides packaging solutions in bags or boxes, according to the needs of customers.
High standards
AnT Seafood upholds the highest standards of responsible fishing. The company is ASC-accredited and GLOBALG.A.P. certified All bass and bream are electrically stunned and feed is free from animal proteins which is healthier and improves shelf life Additionally, all products are GMO- and antibiotic-free.
The company also uses very specific techniques to harvest and transport fish to packing stations, giving it something of a competitive advantage.
“At the point of harvest, we immediately place the fish into what are essentially vats of ice-cold water,” explained Dee Bhambhani, Sales Manager. “We keep them in this cold-water during transportation as well. And when it gets to the packing station, we do the same again, so that while we’re waiting for it to be graded and packed, we can keep the fish temperature low. This is absolutely key to ensure the quality of the fish.
“Being able to sustain these low temperatures through the post-harvest
process gives us an edge against our competitors. And as we are seeing rising sea temperatures becoming more of an issue, we’re able to continue to ensure this does not have an impact on our quality. I’m getting lots of positive feedback about that from my customers.”
Unsurprisingly, considering it has been such a growth driver, the company is now doubling production capacity for bass and bream, with the intention to increase to 35,000 tonnes annually.
“It will give us new options in terms of production, packaging and innovation,” said Mr Roman. “The existing site is very busy, so we have no options to expand into new things. But we do have a lot of exciting things coming up. We are looking to modernise our production operation further to overcome some of the staffing challenges prevalent across the industry.”
Making moves
In April, the company sent delegates to Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona. Attendance at the vast exhibition has multiple benefits, among them the ability
“Being able to sustain these low temperatures through the post-harvest process gives us an edge against our competitors. And as we are seeing rising sea temperatures becoming more of an issue, we’re able to continue to ensure this does not have an impact on our quality”
- Dee Bhambhani, Sales Manager
to “have a mobile office for three days with all our team,” as Ms Bhambhani put it.
“The biggest advantage of Seafood Barcelona is to see existing customers , and a lot of new customers, face-to-face,” Mr Roman agreed. “It’s always good to meet people in real life. It also works well for us to have a booth and be able to present new products and talk about where we are, what we do and how we do it.”
Despite controlling much of its production in-house, the company also maintains strong relationships with its supply chain
“It’s very important to be open and to ensure that those we work with can trust us,” said Mr Roman. “Of course, we have ambitious plans going forward, but where we can we also take suppliers with us on the path of growth.”
AnT Seafood established its fresh business in the UK at the start of 2024 and is now exporting more than two trucks there a week.
“A big part of that has been thanks to the quality of our product,” Ms Bhambhani explained. “It’s an important phenomenon that I’m seeing. We have a name that people are familiar with, because we’re one of the pioneers in the market in general. We drove the way the market has adopted bass and bream. The UK retail market adopted our standards, such as electrical stunning and land animal protein-free feed, and our ASC capabilities allowed us to grow within this sector.
“It’s about more than just shelf life. It’s about providing a food product which is nutritious and ticks all the boxes in terms of being sustainable and having animal welfare at heart. There are so many different things that we do as a brand that our competitors may not be focused on in the same way.”
The company’s main goal for the coming years is to continue to expand organically and successfully, while maintaining the high standards it has
become known for. “I’m a big foodie,” Ms Bhambhani reflected, “and my primary motivation in this role is because I know that I am selling the best seabass to the consumer. It’s nutritious, it’s sustainable, it’s a healthy source of protein and it tastes great. That is what drives me. That’s why I got into seafood and why I came to this company.”
As CEO, for Mr Roman it is the strategic element that most appeals. “I like sales and I like to help people, especially when there is an issue to solve,” he concluded. “I really like being innovative and finding a better way to do something. That is very satisfying.” n
