They started in the winter of 2001. At that time, Coast Seafood, former sales manager Frank Yri and the two fish farmers Håkon Tombre and Alex Vassbotten, founded the export company Seaborn.
In its first 20 years, the Bergen exporter Seaborn has grown a lot.
“We passed 100,000 tonnes just before the weekend, Yri told the Tombre group during the 20th anniversary celebration.”
Read also: Tombre 50 years: – The first plant was two logs, a plank and some empty jugs. But it floated
Processing
The company sells fish to 60 countries and leases processing capacity at factories in Spain, Italy and Poland. At home in Norway, they have a strategic alliance with the processing company Inka, led by Karsten “Kakki” Austevoll, who recently opened his new factory in Os.
“Inka already takes 18 truckloads a week,” Yri told SalmonBusiness.
Seaborn is budgeting for a sale of 112,000 tonnes of salmonids in 2021 – and is on schedule. This means a turnover of more than NOK 6 billion (€600 million). On the customer list are major players such as Tesco and Morpol.
The King
Company sees growth in several key markets.
“Italy has increased by 26 per cent this year. And the fantastic thing is that Italy buys 92.6 per cent Norwegian salmon. They actually prefer salmon over tuna.
Salmon has taken over as king of Spain. Wasn’t it hake before, Arne? asked Yri presenter Arne Hjeltnes.
“I do not know,” replied Hjeltnes. “I thought it was haddock.”
