Urk, the Netherlands-based Zalmhuys Group has acquired a minority stake in Anova Seafood.
Zalmhuys Group is composed of four different companies – distribution wing Affish, fresh fish-focused Affish Fresh, frozen fish-focused Ocean Fish, and salmon-focused Het Urker Zalmhuys.
The company announced the purchase of Anova Seafood – a distributor of fresh and chilled seafood that mainly targets the European market with whitefish products such as cod, Lake Victoria perch, pangasius, and catfish – as a “strategic acquisition” that will see the company taking a minority stake in its processing and sales activities related to fresh, refreshed, and frozen products.
"Adding Anova's experience and product portfolio to our current business sees a lot of potential and will further strengthen our position in the seafood industry,” Zalmhuys Group CEO Harm ten Napel said in a release.
The acquisition will also help Zalmhuys strengthen its seafood sourcing, processing, and sales, the company said.
“It will greatly contribute to the philosophy of ‘all your seafood in one place,’” Napel said.
Additionally, attaining Anova and its staff, Napel said, will help Zalmhuys continue its growth trajectory.
“With Koen Verburg and Erwin Spook, who have been leading Anova Seafood since 2019, we bring experienced seafood professionals into our group,” he said.
The company also said it views the acquisition as a “strategic step” toward consolidating the two companies' positions in the seafood market.
“We are confident in the growth potential that comes from combining our strengths and look forward to a prosperous future together,” Napel said.
The purchase by Zalmhuys comes two years after the company announced it was building a new fish-smoking plant in Urk, which allowed the company to deliver a wider range of products.
Zalmhuys also acquired rival smoked salmon group H. van Wijnen, which had filed for bankruptcy, in November 2022, soon after announcing the construction of its new plant. That acquisition formed Zalmhuys Van Wijnen, which contains four product brands: Hendricks, Hendricks Choice, John Orrin, and Van Wijnen.
