LATVIA
Established presence, strengths in marketing help Karavela weather Covid-19
Development activities continue Canned fish and other canned products have been flying off the shelves as the coronavirus spreads. For Karavela, a Latvian producer of canned fish, the second quarter of the year was strong. It is, however, prepared for all eventualities.
Stockpiling by consumers as the coronavirus spread across the globe had a positive impact on companies making shelf-stable products.
T
he fish processing sector in Latvia has a long tradition. Canned sprats, one of the oldest products, are reputed to have been produced since the end of the 19th century. And in 1911 production was estimated at 6m cans. Sprats are still being smoked, salted, and canned. They are particularly appreciated in post-Soviet countries that have a history of consuming the iconic Riga sprats. But increasingly they are being sold in markets in the west and in Asia, where they are
a novelty. Production criteria have been formalised and now the trademark Riga Sprats in Oil guarantees a high-quality product that complies with the standards laid down by the Latvian Union of Fish Processing Industry, an association of canned fish manufacturers. However, Baltic sprat is far from the only species that is canned. Since the 50s Latvian processors have been canning and processing a variety of other species, herring, smelt, and cod from the Baltic Sea as well as
small pelagics from other oceans, tuna, and farmed salmon.
Canned fish products based on several species The company Karavela is one of the members of the Latvian Processors’ Association. Established in 2002 when it took over a longestablished canning factory, the company today produces a wide range of canned fish products including salmon, trout, mackerel,
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and tuna. In fact according to Alise Manuhina, the marketing manager, nine tenths of all the canned seafood on the Latvian market can be supplied by Karavela. The range is dynamic, changing frequently as new recipes are developed or new species suitable for canning are discovered. Consumers look for something new and different all the time, so it is important to accommodate these cravings. Product development is not limited to the contents of the can, but also to its shape and form. &VSPlTI .BHB[JOF
07/10/20 8:25 PM