April 2, 2008

HQ Sustainable Maritime to supply tilapia to fast food outlets

HQ Sustainable Maritime Industries, Inc., a Seattle-based fish processor with operations in Haina, China, said it received a large order for frozen tilapia from a buyer that supplies major fast food and retail chains.

The order was for HQ's new frozen block fillets and for frozen, toxin-free all natural tilapia fillets.

The company said this development will boost the company's finances, as well as the production and processing of tilapia products.

However, HQ declined to name the customer.

HQ said it developed the block fillets to replicate the taste and texture of Alaskan pollack, a species typically used in fast-food fish sandwiches. It claims that major chains are looking to the aquaculture industry to supplement their fillet supply, since wild ocean stock continues to decline from overfishing, global warming and pollution.

Norbert Sporns, the company's chairman and chief executive officer, said the order signals a new direction for HQ Sustainable and will require a major increase in the production.

HQ Sustainable is the first major tilapia provider to receive Best Aquacultural Practices (BAP) certification for its processing operations from the Aquaculture Certification Council (ACC certification), a benchmark required by many US retailers.