As a public company owned by Norway’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) seeks to win the world over to Norwegian seafood.
To be sure, it’s a big job; but the task isn’t impossible. After all, Norwegian seafood is among the finest and freshest across the globe — something the Japanese market has known for years.
“Japan has, for decades, been among the most important markets for Norwegian seafood like fresh Norwegian salmon and mackerel. Seventy percent of all lightly salted mackerel and 90% of all fresh Atlantic salmon sold in Japan is Norwegian. The Japanese and Norwegians share the same passion for food, quality and hygiene — Japan is among the most demanding markets in the world; Norway is a proud supplier to Japan and to Japanese chefs worldwide. Norwegian seafood is a symbol of the collaboration between the two countries,” shared
Johan Kvalheim, NSC director of Japan and South Korea.
To be certain, a solid relationship exists between Japan and Norway when it comes to seafood — nothing beats Norway’s beautiful bounty of the sea. “The reputation of Norwegian seafood in Japan is very high; the best sushi chefs prefer fresh Norwegian salmon because of taste, color and food safety. The same goes for the mackerel,” Kvalheim noted.
On April 18, the NSC launched a campaign to further underscore the solid, sterling reputation of Norwegian seafood as the best in Japan and globally. Kvalheim said: “The campaign aims to communicate the No. 1 position of Norwegian salmon and mackerel. There are many good reasons for this: The taste is fresh from the cold, clear waters of Norway. Both the mackerel and salmon are easy to prepare for meals, and in so many ways. We want to inspire Japanese seafood lovers to prepare the fish in more ways, not only raw.”
“As a follow up to our fall campaign, this spring, we challenge consumers to take part in an easy quiz about Norway and Norwegian seafood. The challenge will be communicated in stores, on stickers and posters. The grand prize is, of course, a whole year of free Norwegian seafood.”
