We’re Wild About Handling Bluefin Tuna, the ‘Tiger of the Seafood World’

When top distributors of farm-raised fish promise to deliver only the freshest product to world’s best chefs, they can do so with absolute confidence. That’s because Prime Fresh Handling is passionate about their role as the critical link in the seafood supply chain between farm and market.

More than that, since PFH has been shipping and handling super sensitive perishables for more than 20 years, one might even say they truly are a big fish – in the big pond.

Topping the list of the most highly sought after fish in the world is the Pacific Bluefin Tuna, just now coming out of Ensenada, Mexico’s offshore tuna farms. With favorable water temps presently reaching 72 degrees, the season for Bluefin is right now through October.

Prized by sushi lovers around the globe, these gigantic and powerful fish can grow to 1,000 pounds and swim up to 45 miles per hour – explaining why fishermen call them the “tiger of the ocean.”

 

 

High-Value Commodity

A mighty fish indeed, that also has a mighty high price tag. In fact it is the most expensive fish on the planet. One single Bluefin can fetch – or should we say catch – up to $10,000 on the open market, depending on where it’s caught, and where it is sold.

“With so much money on the line, seafood providers and distributors know that managing such a high-value commodity requires a highly qualified and trustworthy shipper,” says Cristina Moscoso, General Manager of Prime Fresh Handling-LAX. “That’s exactly why they turn to Prime Fresh Handling, season after season.”

 

Case Study

Soon after the Bluefin tuna are harvested and safely packed for transport in Ensenada, the fish bound for U.S. markets arrive via refrigerated truck at PFH’s cold storage warehouse at Los Angeles International Airport. Here, the PFH team accepts, inspects, and manages thousands of pounds of prized Bluefin ultimately bound for high-end restaurants and major seafood markets in New York and Miami, and elsewhere.

Quickly ushered into one of PFH’s top-of-the-line coolers, the precious cargo immediately undergoes precision staging for the next phase of their journey. The clock is ticking, yet the company’s certified handlers must take their responsibility for monitoring freshness and safety very seriously.

Primarily focused on the temperature control, staff is skilled in detecting any variances and act swiftly to stabilize temperatures when necessary, before zipping the Bluefin back up into their protective packaging and sending them off to their outbound connections.

According to Moscoso, “Fresh tuna must remain between 36-38 degrees. If temperatures are to rise above that threshold, the shelf life and quality of the fish will be significantly compromised. This specialized step along seafood supply chain takes a little extra time, of course, but is necessary to maintain the integrity of the shipment – and the customer is continually kept in the loop.”

 

New York, New York

Similarly, tight quality assurance controls are adhered to upon arrival at the each final destination city, such as New York. Here, PFH currently serves most major distribution centers in the metropolitan area including Fulton Market and the New Fulton Market in the Bronx, as well as upstate New York and New Jersey.

“Freshness is everything with fish,” says Alex Paredes, PFH General Manager-JFK. “That’s why wholesale/retail distributors, restaurants, and other end-point customers demand that their product is recovered within less than three to four hours of landing at the airport.”

From touchdown to the moment the fish enter PFH’s cold-storage warehouse to be sorted and loaded onto one of the company’s refrigerated trucks, continuous temperature monitoring real-time communication with the customer is key.

 

Certified in Safety

Upholding its status as a world-class provider of the highest caliber of quality in the food industry are the numerous food-quality and safety certifications PFH has achieved.

With a certified HACCP program in place (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points), as well as earning a Primus Certification issued by PrimusGFS, a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), PFH stands out as one of the industry’s most trustworthy handlers and shippers of seafood and other perishables

According to Moscoso, “This assures our customers that while their fish are in our facilities, they are being handled and processed under the best possible conditions so that the product makes its way to the final consumer exactly as expected – guaranteed fresh.”

With proven abilities in keeping fresh food safe, real-time technology, top-grade cold storage facilities, and the most experienced professionals in the perishables business – Prime Fresh Handling is a great catch.

 

About Prime Fresh Handling

Trusted worldwide, Fresh Handling offers international seafood and fish shipping and handling for restaurants, cruise ships, and wholesalers. PFH uses industry-leading technology and expertly manages document processing and Customs clearance to guarantee safe transport of seasonal fresh and frozen fish to their final destination with the utmost freshness guaranteed.

From fresh fish, fruit, produce, and cut flowers to pharmaceutical products and vaccines, Prime Fresh Handling is the authority on reliable international shipping and handling of precious time- and temperature-sensitive commodities.

In addition to Los Angeles and New York, the global network of PFH offices and refrigerated warehouses also includes Miami, Amsterdam, and Bogotá – all providing fast and easy access to all of the world’s major markets.

 

Contact Information

For information, contact PFH Commercial Manager Cristina Moscoso at 323-328-8650, via email at cristina.moscoco@primeair.aero, or visit www.primefresh.com.

 

Also contact District Manager-North America Alex Paredes via email at salesjfk@primegroup.aero or by calling 516-837-9777.2222 

Additional Readings:

Ahoy, It’s Time for Oysters-Transported with Care by Prime Fresh Handling

Expert International Handling Ensures Great Ending to this ‘Lobster Tale’

Prime Fresh Handling Casts a Big Net Over New York 

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