Quartet of Irish seafood firms pool resources to crack Chinese market

Four Irish seafood companies have pooled their resources to set up Jade Ireland Seafood Ltd, a joint venture with an office based in Shanghai, China.

Aided by seafood authority Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), McBride Fishing, Carr Shellfish, Sofrimar, and Shellfish de La Mer have jointly developed a brand entitled Ocean Jade, which is aimed at the Chinese market. The firms have bases in Donegal, Wexford, and Cork.

Jade Ireland director Hugh McBride said: “The Irish seafood sector is small in comparison to our competitors and we quickly realised that in order to compete effectively and to supply such a large and growing market in China, we would need to use our collective resources to do so.