The Blue Sea Food Company nets export success in Asia

Torbay-based The Blue Sea Food Company has increased its international sales as the demand for British seafood in Asia continues to rise.

Torbay-based The Blue Sea Food Company has increased its international sales of live Devon crab to China by 150% in the last six months as the demand for British seafood in Asia continues to rise. 

The Blue Sea Food Company processes 2,000 tonnes of crab a year and exports its produce to Europe, Asia and the US, as well as supplying restaurants and caterers across the UK. 

The business started selling live crab overseas 18 months ago in response to demand for fresh seafood from Chinese buyers. This side of the business has grown rapidly and the business is now investing in the size of its fishing fleet to keep up with orders. 

Exporting now accounts for half of the company’s £12 million turnover, and the business plans to grow this by 20% in the next year as it expands its exports to Asia. 

The business regularly visits trade shows in Qingdao and Tokyo to source new business, with support from advisers at the Department for International Trade (DIT) South West.

David Markham, Sales Director at The Blue Sea Food Company, said:

“When you first start exporting, it can be tough finding the right partners to work with, but this can be easily overcome by working with expert organisations.

“When we wanted to export to Hong Kong for the first time we worked with DIT to identify who we should speak to and the best way to approach them. We’ve found that the department’s team has fantastic contacts and insight into cultural dos and don’ts - for example, whether it’s appropriate to ask for payment in dollars in certain Asian countries.

“In China, we’ve found that customers won’t buy until they know you and feel that there’s trust. When it comes to forging relationships with new overseas customers, there’s no substitute for getting on a plane and meeting them in person. My advice to any company that’s thinking about exporting is to give it their best shot at the earliest opportunity. We’ve done it and so can many other local businesses.”

Paul Shand, Regional Director, Department for International Trade South West, said:

“British-sourced seafood is becoming increasingly popular in Asia and it’s encouraging to see a local Devon-based business like The Blue Sea Food Company tapping into this growing trend.

“We sometimes find that concerns about red tape and finding an overseas buyer can deter many successful companies from realising the benefits of international trade. But businesses shouldn’t feel like they have to go through this process alone.

“We’re proactively encouraging firms to export their products and take advantage of the support available to them. We have more than 25 International Trade Advisers in the South West that can help businesses navigate the entire exporting process.”

DIT’s Exporting is GREAT campaign aims to help more businesses explore new markets overseas. The campaign is currently showcasing 30+ UK businesses – from a range of sectors and regions – to inspire and support firms up and down the country to export.

  • Get started with exporting

    International sales have provided substantial growth for thousands of British businesses and right now demand for quality UK products and services is on the rise all across the world.

  • Win new business in high-growth markets

    Our Extend your Global Reach programme has been created to help ambitious South West companies find new sales opportunities in China, India, Latin America and SE Asia. These regions are hungry to buy British goods and services and we don't want you to miss out!

    *Please note that new applications for EYGR under the Export for Growth programme are now closed. Support remains available for clients who applied and were accepted on or before the 29th November 2019.*