Mowi replaces Isidro 1952 as Lidl's sushi supplier

SPAIN
Tuesday, February 18, 2020, 07:40 (GMT + 9)

The Norwegian Mowi replaces the Cambre-based company, in bankruptcy proceedings

When the company Isidro 1952 began to show signs of collapse, Lidl, distribution chain, the main customer of its two processing lines - sushi and fresh fish prepared dishes - was comprehensive, sources close to the company from Coruña said. The German chain continued to rely on the Galician company, although it broke down in  several occasions, offering it time to recover from the bump with the commitment to continue in its not too bulky client portfolio. In fact, shortly before the company entered into bankruptcy proceedings, Lidl confirmed to this newspaper that it maintained its relationship with the Cambre-based company: "Lidl continues to work with Isidro 1952 as a supplier of some fresh fish products, including sushi".

Photo: Isidro 1952

But that improvement did not occur. On the contrary, a bankruptcy administrator is now making the diagnosis of this insolvency and trying to avoid being left in the operating room. And Lidl could not wait any longer. It had to find another supplier to add to the one it already had and which, according to some sources, was precisely the one that subtracted market share from Isidro 1952, which, between the Dia crisis and the drop in orders by Lidl, saw 40% of its sales fell, which sharpened the debt situation with which the company started after evolving from the old fish wholesaler Isidro de la Cal.

It has found it in Norway, as published by the sector magazine Alimarket. This is the giant fish farmer Mowi, the evolution of what was once Marine Harvest, which for a time now is trying to gain market in Spain and Portugal with its new product lines. The solution to the fresh fish trays that Isidro 1952 no longer sends to the Lidl comes from Zaragoza, where the Iberian delegation of Mowi has rented a plant. However, the one that has been sought for sushi comes from central Europe. From Poland to be exact.

The sushi that was previously made in Cambre is now manufactured, according to Alimarket, in the macroplant that the Norwegian group has in Ustka (Poland), and that came in the lot when the former Marine Harvest took over Morpol in 2013. Three years later, the processing plant was expanded, becoming one of the world's leading factories in the production of salmon-based products - Mowi's flagship product-, with several fish farms around the world.

The Norwegian company is not new among Lidl's providers. In fact, it has already supplied sushi and smoked salmon to the chain in Germany. The distributor has not yet replied to this newspaper if the agreement with Isidro 1952 has finally been broken or if it will maintain the relationship as soon as the state of insolvency is over.

Rising category

According to data from the Alimarket publication, sales of free service sushi reached EUR 87.9 million per year. The distributor brand dominates the category, with a 27.9% share.

In Spain, Mowi stands  now a tough competitor of Nueva Pescanova and Leroy  Processing Spain, which supply sushi to Mercadona.

Author: E. Abuín /La Voz de Galicia

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