RAMMI OF SIGLUFJORDUR, ICELAND JOINS FASFA

05 April 2007

Further strengthening its position and international industry influence, FASFA has recently approved Rammi of Iceland as a new member. Set up in 2000, FASFA is an organization dedicated to promoting the consumption of frozen at sea fillets of cod and haddock in the UK. Rammi have two vessels, Manaberg and Sijurbjorg and they have two 70m vessels under construction in Norway. They also have three other vessels fishing for reds, lobster and flat fish.

Their fishing quota for 2006/2007 includes 6,815 tonnes of cod, 2,604 tonnes of haddock and 2,286 tonnes of saithe. Their sales in 2005 were £40m and they employ over 200 people.
As a FASFA member, Rammi will benefit from the collective promotion for frozen at sea fillets by all members of the chain – right through from catchers to importers and distributors.

The company will also now have access to all UK distribution channels and information on industry news, particularly in the fish and chip shop sector.
And because FASFA is an international body covering all sectors of the industry, member companies have a greater influence than they would as an individual organization.

As one of the largest fishing companies in Iceland and a leader in its field, the addition of Rammi to FASFA’s already impressive international member base will further strengthen its ongoing positive promotion of the consumption of healthy whitefish caught in the Barents Sea and North Atlantic ocean.

And Rammi – as a key industry player – will join with FASFA to educate consumers on the origins of their fish – especially in over 80% of UK fish and chip shops where frozen at sea cod is sold - to create positive brand awareness of the top quality, outstandingly fresh frozen at sea fillet.

Rammi freezer trawlers catch cod and haddock all in the Icelandic seas throughout the year. They process interleaved and IQF cod fillets, providing superb cod that goes straight to restaurants and other catering outlets.

FASFA will now work in partnership with trawler owners Rammi – along with those from the UK, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Spain, Russia and Greenland and many UK distributors of ‘frozen at sea’ filleted fish.

FASFA was impressed by the emphasis Rammi places on using the latest technology for fishing and processing, in addition to the pride it places in the production of quality cod, haddock and saithe from fresh raw materials that come from the clean waters around Iceland.

Like FASFA, it places huge emphasis on natural resources and the responsible management of Icelandic fisheries. Sustainability of fishing stocks is paramount to the governments of Norway and Iceland, where 85% of the cod and haddock we now eat in the UK, originates. 

FASFA’s Tim Cartwright-Taylor comments on its new member: “We are delighted to welcome Rammi to FASFA and believe that its membership will strengthen both our market position as well as theirs.

“Rammi will reap the benefits of becoming part of a much larger organization – with greater access to the UK market with research and industry information - on an international scale. And at FASFA we are now in the privileged position to boast one of Iceland’s largest fishing companies within our member base.”