Tuna sales to Spanish retailer Mercadona and business in Brazil and Italy boosted Spanish canned tuna producer Corporacion Empresarial Jealsa’s turnover last year, which jumped 16% in 2017 to over €630 million, the company said.
The canned fish division was the “fundamental pillar” for the increase in sales, despite challenges due to the rise in raw material prices, Jealsa said.
Supplying Spanish retailer Mercadona continues to be the company’s main focus, Jealsa said. However, the corporation has seen with satisfaction that its Brazilian business Crusoe Foods overtook initial difficulties into profits in 2016, it added. After some tough times, Jealsa’s Brazilian division has further improved its accounts, despite the devaluation of the local currency, the group said.
Also in Italy, where the Galician company acquired Mare Aperto in 2015, it had excellent results in 2017, increasing sales, the company said.
Higher raw material prices benefitted the group’s fleet, which is made up of two tuna vessels and one auxiliary vessel and its participation as a partner in Albacora.
Its fleet also achieved higher catches — 34% up year-on-year — in 2017, Jealsa said.
Jealsa did not provide a breakdown of its sales figures, nor additional information on its 2017 profit, when asked by Undercurrent.
