What surprised me?
I got a job from a seafood trading company in 2007 after my graduation. It surprised me that seafood was exported worldwide. Yes, it was frozen product, which was able to export by ship.
Many kinds of seafood products, which made me confused at that time. But now, they are very clear in my mind, from Dalian to Hainan and from sea catch to farm raised.
As we know, the farm raised product will play an important role in food in the future. So we start our business to the south of China. Tilapia, definitely, is the top choice.
What is tilapia from China?
Tilapia comes from Africa, which is more widespread in China since the 1990s. One of China’s tilapia species name is Oreochromis niloticus. There are 26% of the tilapia of the world farmed in China, which is the largest of the world. Raising the fish we eat through aquaculture turned out into a vital alternative to open sea fishing, giving us a colossal 50% of all fish consumed by humans. Tilapia makes a great part of that percentage. In fact, Tilapia is one of the most commonly consumed fish over the years. It is considered one of the most important fish in aquaculture in China, supplying the World yearly.
First tilapia business trip in life
The first tilapia business trip in 2008 much impressed me. Visiting 12 tilapia plants means a lot to me. This was the first time to feel the plant in the workshop. This would make us understand how the tilapia processes from alive fish to fillet, how to treat, and how to freeze.
The first plant
Many containers were waiting for loading. When we entered the fillet workshop for the first time. Their quick work was amazing, such as cutting, trimming, and grading by hand very very fast.
Tilapia fillets, IQF, shallow skinned, boneless, with CO treated, which are nice red color.
We found the deep skinned fillets, with blood line on and deep skinned tilapia fillets 1/3 blood line on.
What are IQF, BQF and Semi-IQF?
IQF: individually quick frozen. Each fillet is individual and quickly frozen by the freezing equipment.
BQF: block quick frozen. It needs to be laid on a steel tray with water to freeze in a quick freeze room.
Semi-IQF: Similiar with block frozen, but with less water, and easy to divide to individual.
Normally after IQF, the fillets will be glazed again to get the ice to protect the products. So it can be glazed to 45%glaze. Yes, everyone will say 45%glaze is incredible, but the market needs it too.
The second plant
There were IQF machines and vacuum packing machines.
The vacuum machine was used in 2008 to pack as IVP, but now there are more modern machines instead of them.
What is IVP?
IVP: individual vacuum packing Vacuum packaging keeps the oxygen out to prevent food from spoiling caused by microorganisms. Therefore, deoxygenation can inhibit bacteria and prevent mildew. Another important function of vacuum is to prevent food oxidation. A lot of unsaturated fatty acids are easy to change color and taste. Vacuum can effectively isolate the air and resist oxidation, and maintain the color, aroma, and nutritional value of food.
IWP packing with a card on tilapia GS, which is without vacuum.
What is tilapia GS?
GS: Gutted and Scaled, then frozen and packed.
The whole round with no GS is normally for African markets now.
The third plant
Also, many containers were waiting. They were specialized in tilapia GS and no GS processing.
The fourth plant
It was a new plant during 2008, with very new process machines and producing line.
The fifth plant
They told me they were the first plant to process tilapia in China, but with a small workshop. The different packing way.
The sixth plant
Also great plant with new equipments.
The new packing way with the tray was for the retailer in the supermarket.
The seventh plant
We found they were processing IVP with color printing, which was for the USA market. You know sea best brand, who were very familiar in 2008. Took a photo on none CO treated products.
The eighth plant
It was the busiest plant in our mind during our trip.
The alive fishes had arrived and loaded to the pond to be CO treated.
Many workers cutted, trimmed, and graded in the meantime.
Another packing way of 1 lb print bag for retailer supermarket.
The ninth plant
You would find out how the IQF machine work to freeze fillets quickly.
The tenth plant
Especially good at breaded tilapia fillet. Nice products, but normally small market.
The eleventh plant
Very impressive logo in the front of the workshop. What a pity I didn’t take a photo of the boss’s car, which also had tilapia words logo.
How to start a business with plants?
You can visit the expo of seafood. The better way is to visit the plants and feel everything, such as equipments, workers, and their processing way. But the most effective way is to contact me and let me help you a lot. Because tilapia stays in my mind forever and I totally understand what the tilapia plants are doing.
Where is tilapia raised in China?
Tilapia is a price product, which always makes the supply chain more difficult to get a competitive price. You should know they are mainly in four provinces in the south of China that I visited many times since 2008.
According to China Customs’ newest statistics of Jan.-Nov. 2021(Based on HS16041920 and HS03046100), the first area is Guangdong, and the second is Hainan, then Yunnan and Fujian.
How many tilapia were exported in 2021?
The total quantity of exportation is 364847239 KG. The exportation is slow down during Feb.-March, because of Chinese New Year.
Do you want to know how many to your market? Don’t hesitate to contact me.
I didn’t show all the photos from the above plants, and now are you interested in how to process in the workshop?
How to process from alive tilapia to fillet?
Show you how to process in the plant from alive fish to fillet as below. Then we will get the shallow skinned tilapia fillet. If we use a deep skinned machine to skin more, then we will get deep skinned with blood line on tilapia fillet. If more deep again, then there will be deep skinned with 1/3 blood line on.
Flow Chart
Alive fish arrival–Blooding–Cutting–Skinning–Trimming–Bone checking–Grading–Washing–IQF Freezing–Glazing–Packing
Accompany with you in tilapia business.
To be continued…