New Zealand King Salmon

New Zealand King Salmon harvests around 7,500 metric tones of salmon annually, providing around 75 percent of the domestic New Zealand market and 55 percent of the world market for farmed king salmon.

Central to the company's success is its premium growing environment. The remote Marlborough Sounds, fed by cool ocean currents, provides the company's five salmon farms with well oxygenated water free of pollution and disease.

Sustainable farming

The company limits its effect on this marine environment through a mix of  farming practices and close monitoring. Its practices include steam washing nets rather than coating them in copper based anti-fouling, and an automated feed system to reduce the amount of feed waste that would otherwise fall to the sea floor and disrupt the natural ecology.

New Zealand King Salmon General Manager for Sales and Marketing, Don Everitt, says some of the company's methods may take more time and money, but they are better for its salmon products and the environment in the long run.

"Northern Hemisphere farms and farms in Chile tend not to worry about environmental protection and they run the risk of rapid disease transmission. To prevent that they use antibiotics which have a harmful effect on the environment, and they use anti-fouling and chemicals to protect themselves. We don't need to do that," he says.

Safety for consumers is enhanced by New Zealand's strict food safety laws as well as the company's attention to risk management along its vertically integrated supply and distribution chain.

Humane harvesting

New Zealand King Salmon is also proud of its animal welfare standards, particularly its humane harvesting method which uses an approved herbal anesthetic that disperses quickly in the environment and leaves no trace in either the environment or in the salmon.

Everitt says the end result of its careful approach to farming and harvesting is healthy, chemical-free salmon with a great taste and wonderful texture.

"It stands out. We've won international awards for simply just the taste of the product. The Japanese love it, the more discerning consumer in the United States loves it and is prepared to pay a premium for it, and they love it in Australia because it is different from what they're used to," he says.

New spin on salmon

Australia, Japan and the United States are the company's main export markets, with New Zealand King Salmon having established an office and sales force in Australia to service its rapidly increasing share of the premium market there.

Likewise, its New Zealand market has grown quickly and the company maintains a leading market share in both its fresh and smoked salmon products.

Part of New Zealand King Salmon's winning strategy has been an emphasis on finding out what customers and consumers want and innovating to meet those needs.

At the premium end of the food service industry, professional chefs are now using New Zealand King Salmon's 190-gram Frozen Salmon Fillet Portions. The technology used to blast freeze the salmon means that despite being frozen, the salmon is able to perform, look and taste just as it would if it was fresh from the portioning machine. At the same time it gives chefs correct portions at a fixed price with no waste, therefore helping to reduce kitchen costs.

Meanwhile, retail consumers have a choice of New Zealand King Salmon's chilled, frozen and smoked products that are available in a variety of cuts. In May 2010, all six of New Zealand King Salmon's products entered in the International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) Superior Taste Awards in Brussels received judges' recognition, including its salmon pastrami - thin slices of smoked salmon crusted in three peppers.

"For consumers, whether it's at home or in the restaurant, they're getting a wonderful taste experience and we're understanding their needs much more than we ever have before," says Everitt.

With this innovative approach and the company's pride in ensuring a pure and tasty product, New Zealand King Salmon looks set to keep its enviable edge in the world's farmed king salmon market.