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IN another major international seafood deal, the company which makes many of the McDonalds restaurant chain fish products has been snapped up by a Japanese company.
Based in Chiba, Delmar reported sales of 76.7 million euros in 2009.Nissui, which also makes prepared and processed foods, will use Delmar's processing plants in Chiba, Thailand and elsewhere to strengthen its own commercial food business. It buys around 8,000 metric tons of fish, mainly Alaskan pollack a year. It also uses Thai and South East Asian white shrimp and wild salmon for other products. Although McDonalds fish sales lag well behind its traditional hamburgers, sales of filet-o-fish have been growing recently. It is particularly popular among Muslims who might be worried if the meat in a hamburger is Halal. All fish is considered Halal in Islamic countries.
First introduced in the 1960s, it is similar in some ways to a English fish singer sandwich. Filet-O-Fish contains a battered fish patty with half a slice of processed cheese, tartar sauce an seasoning in a steamed bun. Sometimes the same products is called McFish of Fishmac and there are deluxe versions of the same product.
This is the third large scale fish company in as many weeks. MW Brands, which includes John West, was sold to Thai Union Products last week; Birds Eye bought Findus Italy and Lion Capital, owners of Young's bought Picard Seafood of France.
Should fisheries be closed during breeding time to allow stocks to reach more sustainable levels?
