Canned fish: swimming upstream

Although fish consumption in Hungary is still way below the European average, the slow conquest of health trends had a favourable effect on fish and canned fish sales in the last few years. However, this dynamism stalled in the case of canned fish products because recently consumer prices increased significantly, due to elevated base material prices, e.g. since 2010 tuna prices upped by 18 percent because leading fisheries started focusing on sustainable fishing methods.

Bolton Alimentari was one of the first companies to join this movement – we learn from Krisztina Papp, marketing and sales assistant of IN-FOOD 2000 Kft. (the distributor of Bolton Alimentari’s Rio Mare brand in Hungary). Márta Záhorszki, import manager with Del Pierre Central Europe Kft. told our magazine that in the years before the economic recession demand for higher quality canned fish products was slowly growing in Hungary, but in the last few years this growth came to a halt. The most sought-after categories such as tinned sardine and sprat are especially price sensitive. According to Tibor Varga, sales director of Hamé Hungária Kft. products packaged in tin cans remain to be the most popular, they are available in different sizes (125g, 170g, and 185g). Pull tab opening has become a standard feature of canned fish products because consumers demand simple and convenient opening. The company will soon launch a new brand, Vasco de Gama, featuring many product groups and focusing on quality. Balázs Csorba, commercial director of IN-FOOD 2000 Kft. told Trade magazine that Rio Mare has been the market leading tuna product in Hungary for a long time, thanks to its good price/value ratio, health trends and advertising. This year the company added the Insalatissime line to the Rio Mare portfolio: Mexican, bean, corn and pasta versions can be found on store shelves. Another product line, Rio Mare PATÉ snack is a tuna paté that can be bought in five flavours. DEL PIERRE Central Europe Kft. offers a wide range of canned and cooled fish products. They see opportunity for innovation via introducing new flavours and packaging units, plus they sometimes sell larger than usual products which are hardly more expensive than the normal size. Although consumers tend to buy more live fish in December, sales of a few saltwater fish products also increase in this period, e.g. cod liver, caviar, mussel.