Kuiseb Trading launches value addition products

A variety of fish products have recently hit the market. In order to diversify its product offering, Kuiseb Trading, a subsidiary of Kuiseb Fish Enterprises recently launched fish products that are now being sold in local supermarkets.
Kuiseb Trading which is the wholesale and retail trading mark for the fishing rights holder, Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises, recently launched its fish products which include bottled black mussels, smoked snooker, smoked angel fish, smoked horse mackerel, Kelgo organic fertilizer, wet fish as well as horse mackerel soup which comes in different varieties such as vegetable, beef, chili and mushroom.
According to Ambassador Nicky Nashandi, a member of the Board of Directors at Kuiseb Trading, the products were a clear demonstration of the company’s efforts to provide value addition and stimulate fish consumption. He said after Independence, Namibians were in a position of exploiting the resources but for a long time fish products were mostly geared for international market. “Namibians are too fond of their beef, which is of course exceptionally good, yet what was not really tapped into was the replacement of some of the meat dishes with fish dishes of the highest culinary standards,” said Ambassador Nashandi.
Although the products have been in the market since 2011, they were only officially launched on 14 March 2013. Apart from being sold in retailers in Windhoek and Walvis Bay, the company also has fish shops in these two towns. Plans to build similar shops in Rundu, Otavi, Oshakati and Omuthiya are in the pipeline. Ambassador Nashandi also hinted that the fish products will soon be exported to other neighbouring countries.
Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises also conducts research in partnership with the University of Namibia and is currently conducting trials on seaweed, growing Kelp and has been harvesting black mussels since January 2012. General Manager of Kuiseb Fishing Enterprises, Gerhardt Schnaitmann said that conducting research is important to expand the fishing industry into related activities in order to ensure food security and sustainable economic development. He added that the company is still flexible and resourceful enough to research and develop new products and in the process, creating additional employment. A fish recipe booklet has also been published by the company.
The company employs 36 employees on land and 130 sea-going employees through joint ventures with other rights holders.