Upcycling the parent fish of Kyushu's "Phantom Salmon Roe" - Hakusui, the oldest Yamaguchi Shoten in Miyazaki, and Smolt, a Miyazaki University graduate! Hakusui, Miyazaki City's oldest Yamaguchi Shoten, and Smolt, a Miyazaki University graduate, have entered into a historic collaboration. Started Historical Cooperation!

Hakusui Corporation (Fukuoka City, CEO: Takenobu Egoshi), a long-established fish paste shop established 122 years ago in Fukuoka, will start a collaboration with Yamaguchi Shoten (Miyazaki City, CEO: Toru Yamaguchi), the oldest kamaboko store in Miyazaki City, and Smolt Corporation (Miyazaki University, CEO: Ken Ueno), a start-up company engaged in cherry salmon farming using high temperature resistant selection and breeding. (Smolt, Miyazaki-shi, Representative Director: Ken Ueno), a start-up company from Miyazaki University that engages in the cultivation of cherry salmon using selective breeding for high-temperature tolerance. In this collaboration, Hakusui will upcycle the golden "Tsukimi Ikura(R) "*1 from Smolt's cultured "cherry salmon," a high-end fish, after harvesting the fish. Hakusui will process the cherry salmon into high-quality surimi using the traditional technique of removing the fish meat from the fish body and processing it into surimi, and Yamaguchi Shoten will sublimate it into a product that takes advantage of the local flavor. This initiative combines the traditional technology of a long-established company with the innovative ideas of a start-up company to achieve full utilization of marine resources and reduction of food loss, creating a new model case for a sustainable marine industry.

From left: Yudai Egoshi, Hakusui; Akifumi Tsuchiya, Smolt; Toru Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi Shoten

Background of the collaboration: Matching the awareness of long-established businesses of the issues they face with the passion of a start-up company

In recent years, Japan's fisheries industry has been facing a number of challenges, such as climate change, declining marine resources due to overfishing, and a lack of skilled workers. Against this backdrop, Smolt Co., Ltd. has succeeded in the complete cultivation of cherry salmon, which move between freshwater and seawater, based on research results from the University of Miyazaki. Since the entire process from fertilization and hatching to egg collection for the next generation can be completed in-house, stable aquaculture is possible without relying on natural resources. We are conducting research and development with the aim of creating a world where sustainable salmon farming is possible even in a global warming environment, by using selective breeding, which is not genome editing, to crossbreed individuals with superior traits such as tolerance to high water temperatures. In particular, "Tsukimi salmon roe(R)," which can only be harvested from spawning females, is attracting attention as a "fantastic salmon roe" because of its rarity and beauty.

Tsukimi Iruka(R)," a miraculous salmon roe

However, after the salmon roe is harvested, the parent fish is considered to have little value as a food source due to the low fat content in its flesh caused by the energy used for spawning, and most of it has not been utilized. Smolt's strong desire not to waste these valuable fishery resources resonated with Hakusui and Yamaguchi Shoten, who have long faced fishery resources and worked hard to maximize their value. The collaboration was realized based on the belief that the knowledge and technology of each company could be brought together to solve this problem.

Roles of the three companies: Synergy between traditional skills and innovative technology

Smolt Corporation (Start-up from Miyazaki University)

- Role: Production of "Honzakura-masu" (cherry salmon) and "Tsukimi Ikura(R)" (salmon roe), which are pure domestic salmon, through complete aquaculture. Stable supply of parent fish after egg collection.

- Strengths: Sustainable aquaculture technology that does not rely on natural resources. Stable production of cherry salmon, a semi-endangered species, is possible through selective breeding.

Sakura salmon" is a purely domestic salmon produced through complete aquaculture.

Hakusui Corporation (Fukuoka, established 122 years ago)

- Role: Removes the fish meat from the body of cherry salmon provided by Smolt and processes it into surimi.

- Strengths: The technology to extract fish meat from the fish body and process it into surimi is one of the few valuable technologies in Japan today. Our expertise in manufacturing fish paste, cultivated over more than a century, enables us to understand the characteristics of fish and bring out the best of its flavor.

Surimi produced at Hakusui

Yamaguchi Shoten (Kamaboko specialty store established 101 years ago in Miyazaki)

- Role: Develops and manufactures surimi processed by Hakusui into final products that are rooted in the local community.

- Strengths: Deep understanding of local food culture, planning ability and manufacturing techniques to create products and topics loved by consumers. The story of cherry salmon grown in Miyazaki and perfected as a taste of Miyazaki.

Yamaguchi Shoten Product image

Future Prospects: Connecting the possibilities of traditional Japanese "fish paste" technology to the future

Our goal in this collaboration is not just to develop new products. Our goal is not only to develop new products, but also to demonstrate that the traditional Japanese food processing technique of "fish paste" is an excellent technique for adding new value to unused parts of fish that have been difficult to utilize, or fish that are considered out of standard (underutilized fish).

The technology of fish paste, which transforms all the life of fish into delicious flavor, is the wisdom of our ancestors who have been treating fish with great care, and has great potential to contribute to the issue of food loss in the modern world. Through this collaboration, we would like to reintroduce the value of fish paste as a technology that makes the most of the bounty of the sea.

As a first step, we will first focus on the development and sales of upcycled cherry salmon products that will result from this collaboration. In the future, we would like to use the cherry salmon project as a model case to consider expanding to other fish species and regions. By combining the wisdom inherited from long-established businesses with the new ideas of start-ups, we will strive to contribute to the sustainability of the fisheries industry and bring new delicacies and enjoyment of food to consumers. We hope you will look forward to the new value that will be created through this collaboration.

Comments from representatives of each company

Yudai Egoshi, Senior Managing Director, Hakusui Co.

Yudai Egoshi, Senior Managing Director, Hakusui Co.

We have been living on the blessings of the sea for 122 years since our establishment, and when we were touched by Smolt President Ueno's passion for not wasting life, we were convinced that our technology could give shape to his wishes. We are not only preserving our traditions, but also innovating for the future. This collaboration is a great challenge for us, and we believe it will be a step forward in opening new doors for the fishing industry."

Toru Yamaguchi, President of Yamaguchi Shoten Limited Partnership

Toru Yamaguchi, President, Yamaguchi Shoten Limited Partnership

As the oldest kamaboko shop in Miyazaki, I am very proud to be able to support this new challenge born from the University of Miyazaki, my home town. This is my mission. I want people to taste the treasures of the region and the excellence of manufacturing in a new way."

Ken Ueno, Representative Director, Smolt Corporation

Ken Ueno, President of Smolt Corporation

We are very pleased to be able to work together with the historic Hakusui and Yamaguchi Shoten in this project to maximize the value of the salmon, which is the fruit of our many years of research and technology, by breathing new life into it. We are shining a light on something that has never been valued before and bringing it to the consumer. This is the essence of the circular economy, and I am confident that this will become a new model case in the fisheries industry. We hope that this collaboration will help many people, both producers and consumers, realize the potential of the fisheries industry.

1 "Tsukimi Ikura(R)" is a registered trademark of Smolt Co. 1 "Tsukimi Ikura(R)" is a registered trademark of Smolt Co.

Outline of each company

Hakusui Corporation

Location: 2-18-36 Shimizu, Minami-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture

Representative ： Takenobu Egoshi, Representative Director

Establishment: 1903 (36th year of Meiji era)

Business description: Manufacture and sales of fish paste products

URL ： https://hakusui-foods.com/

Hakusui Logo

Yamaguchi Shoten Limited Partnership

Location: 2-2-10 Tachibanadori Nishi, Miyazaki-shi, Miyazaki Prefecture

Representative: Toru Yamaguchi

Establishment : 1924 (Taisho 13)

Business : Manufacturing and sales of fish paste products

URL : Online store Yamaguchiya https://kamaboko-ya.jp/

Yamaguchi Shoten Logo

■Smolt Corporation

Location: 1-1 Gakuen Kibanadai Nishi, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan

Representative ： Ken Ueno, President

Establishment ： April 2019

Business : Complete cultivation of cherry salmon,

　　　　　 Production and sales of "Honzakura trout" and "Tsukimi salmon roe(R)

URL : https://www.smolt.co.jp/

Smolt Logo