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Weaning hake from Spain

Lonrho’s Oceanfresh Seafoods, local purveyor of fresh and frozen seafood, has recently been listed in Sam’s Club stores in the US. Oceanfresh is also a significant processor and marketer of Namibian Hake.
This recent success story emphasises the impact Walmart is having on local suppliers to provide access to the lucrative US market. The Sam’s Club chain supplies groceries and fresh products to the premium market segment in the US and can be compared to Woolworth’s local food chain.
Gavin van der Burgh, Oceanfresh CEO says, “Lonrho’s Oceanfresh is delighted to have started supplying Sam’s Club in the USA with natural, wild caught, sustainably sourced Cape Hake fillets – a top quality, deep water, white fish with a fabulous flavour. Lonrho owns an expanding portfolio of businesses in the seafood and fresh produce sectors that operate to the highest international standards and as a result are increasingly supplying fresh and frozen produce from Africa to the world’s foremost retailers.” The product will be exported out of both South Africa and Namibia.
“Our members are very focused on high quality, sustainably sourced seafood of which the Cape Hake fillets have been a positive addition to the assortment,” says Kendall Sallee, Sam’s Club Senior Seafood Buyer. He adds, “We’ve just launched the Ocean Fresh Cape Hake in 80 of our Sam’s Club locations in the US and I anticipate increased sales and distribution as members become accustomed to the item and learn about the quality and versatility of the fish.”
“The listing of Oceanfresh Seafoods’ Cape Hake fillets in Sam’s Club stores in the US is just one example of how we’ve been able to connect local suppliers to a global market,” reiterates Ramesh Subbiah, Global Sourcing Executive, Massmart. “The opportunities are there and with Walmart’s know-how there are even more ways for us to help and develop some of our suppliers.” One of the ways Massmart measures its success is by the number of Massmart facilitated African supplier listings in other Walmart markets. Having Cape Hake fillets in the fridges of Sam’s Clubs in the US proves there are opportunities for local suppliers to gain access to global markets.
“We’ve built a good partnership with Oceanfresh which will benefit both companies and our members,” concludes Sallee.

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