Tainan Milkfish Makes Mainstream Debut in Canadian Supermarkets

Tainan's aquaculture sector has reached a new milestone as its signature milkfish has successfully entered mainstream supermarket chains in Canada. Fresh Flavor International has become the first Taiwanese company to achieve this feat, marking a significant step for high-quality Taiwanese seafood on the global stage.

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This cooperation with the Canadian supermarket chain, a listed company with over a thousand branches nationwide, has great market representativeness. Fresh Flavor International has not only achieved outstanding foreign trade results but also symbolizes the successful entry of Taiwanese milkfish into the mainstream international market.

The initial shipment consisted of a 40-foot container carrying 20 tons of Taiwanese milkfish. Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che highlighted the importance of the partner supermarket chain, a publicly listed company with over a thousand branches nationwide, emphasizing its market representation. He stated that this success not only represents an outstanding export achievement but also signifies milkfish's successful entry into major international markets.

Fresh Flavor International has previously obtained carbon neutrality certification and BAP (two-star) verification for its milkfish, making it the only company globally to hold this high-level international certification for the fish. The company noted that while milkfish exports have traditionally targeted Chinese-speaking markets, this entry into mainstream Canadian supermarkets, primarily serving non-Asian consumers, demonstrates strong consumer confidence in the quality and food safety of Taiwanese milkfish.

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The past export of milkfish was mainly to the Chinese market. This successful entry into mainstream white supermarkets in Canada represents the local consumers' high affirmation of the quality and food safety of Taiwanese milkfish, and also symbolizes that Taiwan's aquatic product processing and brand strength have gradually gained international market recognition.

This development also reflects the growing international recognition of Taiwan's aquatic product processing capabilities and brand strength. Tainan's Agriculture Bureau Director Li Fang-lin, present at the shipment's departure, underscored milkfish's long-standing status as a representative farmed fish in Taiwan and Tainan's role as a major aquaculture hub. The opening of the Canadian mainstream market is expected to pave the way for new international sales channels and potentially lead to contract farming systems if sales perform well. The city government plans to continue supporting farmers in obtaining international certifications to expand export volumes and drive industry upgrades.

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Milkfish has long been a representative farmed fish species in Taiwan, and Tainan is the most important aquaculture center in Taiwan. The successful opening of the Canadian mainstream market has also opened up a new international channel for the Tainan milkfish industry.