PRODUCT

Tuna

Tuna

Part 1

Strengths of tuna business

  • 01
    Domestic supply of sashimi tuna
    Industry top class
  • 02
    from the oceans of the world
    Procurement of wild tuna
  • 03
    from carefully selected production areas
    Procurement of farmed tuna
  • 04
    All over Japan
    Delivering "Freshness"
    Ultra-low temperature cold chain
  • 05
    tuna sustainable
    attempt

01｜Top-class domestic supply of sashimi tuna in the industry

TOREI has been trying to supply tuna all over Japan since its establishment in 1971, before sashimi tuna became commonplace in stores. As a pioneer of sashimi tuna, we continue to refine our unique global supply chain, including a global procurement network, processing and preservation technology, and a distribution network, and boast an industry-leading domestic supply of sashimi tuna.

02 | Sourcing wild tuna from the world's oceans

About half of the sashimi tuna consumed in Japan is wild tuna caught by longline vessels. TOREI procures natural tuna from the seas around the world, leveraging the strength of the global supply chain it has cultivated since its establishment. In addition, we have launched the "Tenjo Maguro" brand to deliver the highest quality natural tuna caught by Japanese longline fishing boats in the world's fishing grounds without missing the season.

Tenjo Maguro brand page

  • Tenjo Maguro

03｜Procurement of farmed tuna from carefully selected production areas

TOREI has been handling farmed tuna for more than 20 years in order to deliver sustainable and safe products to everyone, amid calls for the protection of marine resources. Among them, with the cooperation of suppliers around the world, we are developing TOREI's farmed tuna brand "TUNA QUEEN" that is particular about high-quality taste, food security, and sustainability.

TUNA QUEEN brand page

04｜Ultra-low temperature cold chain that delivers "freshness" throughout Japan

In the past, tuna deteriorated quickly and was not a fish on the dining table every day. TOREI is the only one in the world and in Japan that has built this system in-house. We have 8 sales bases covering all over Japan, 9 in-house processing plants in Japan, and our own logistics function. One of our strengths is our sales capabilities that enable us to quickly provide products that meet the needs of our customers.

  1. PurchasePurchase
  2. shippingshipping
  3. storagestorage
  4. ProcessingProcessing
  5. shippingshipping
  6. salesale
  • Freezing vessel dedicated to tuna processingFreezing vessel dedicated to tuna processing
  • Landing and quality sortingLanding and quality sorting
  • Cryogenic warehouseCryogenic warehouse
  • Special processing plant for tunaSpecial processing plant for tuna

05｜Sustainable tuna initiatives

Tuna is an essential fishery resource for Japanese food culture. As a company that handles tuna, I feel that we have a great responsibility for food safety. For this reason, TOREI's tuna business is making various efforts toward the sustainable use of marine resources.

Part 2

Handling fish species

  • bluefin tuna
  • southern bluefin tuna
  • Bigeye tuna
  • yellowfin tuna
  • albacore tuna
  • Skipjack
bluefin tuna

bluefin tuna

  • natural
  • aquaculture
  • Fish body: about 1-3m, weight: about 30-300kg

It is the largest of the tuna species, with dark red meat and a lot of fatty tuna, and is considered to be the highest quality product. Widely distributed from the world's temperate seas to extremely cold high latitudes, and because it can withstand low temperatures (water temperature 7-8°C), it has more fatty parts than other tuna.

Fishing ground map

*The above fishing grounds are limited to tuna traded by TOREI.
Southern bluefin tuna (Indian tuna)

Southern bluefin tuna (Indian tuna)

  • natural
  • aquaculture
  • Fish body: about 1-2m, weight: about 20-120kg

It is traded as a luxury item because it is the second largest after bluefin tuna, has good meat quality, and has a large amount of fatty tuna. They are called southern bluefin tuna or Indian tuna because they live only between 30 and 50 degrees south latitude. Fishing grounds extend to South Africa (Atlantic and Indian Oceans), Australia (Pacific and Indian Oceans), and New Zealand (Pacific Oceans).

Fishing ground map

*The above fishing grounds are limited to tuna traded by TOREI.
Bigeye tuna

Bigeye tuna

  • natural
  • Fish body: about 0.5-1.5m, weight: about 20-100kg

Bigeye tuna is a popular tuna for sashimi and sushi because of its dark red meat. Compared to bluefin tuna, it is traded at a lower price. It is distributed all over the world from 40 degrees north latitude to 40 degrees south latitude in the world's temperate and tropical seas. Among the tuna species, they live in the deepest waters, and are said to live up to about 600m.

Fishing ground map

*The above fishing grounds are limited to tuna traded by TOREI.
yellowfin tuna

yellowfin tuna

  • natural
  • Fish body: about 0.5-1.5m, weight: about 20-50kg

It is called Yellowfin because of its conspicuous yellow skin and fins. Because it lives in shallow water, it has little fat and a relatively refreshing taste. Compared to bigeye, it has a lighter red color and lasts longer, so it is often used as a sushi seed. Distributed in temperate and tropical seas around the world between 25 degrees north and 25 degrees south latitude, inhabiting surface layers with water temperatures between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius. It is the most caught tuna in the world.

Fishing ground map

*The above fishing grounds are limited to tuna traded by TOREI.
Albacore tuna (albacore tuna, dragonfly tuna)

Albacore tuna (albacore tuna, dragonfly tuna)

  • natural
  • Fish body: about 0.5-1m, weight: about 5-30kg

It is a small species among tuna species, and it is said that it got its name from its long pectoral fins that look like a dragonfly or a bin (hair on the left and right sides of the head). It has long been used as an ingredient in canned tuna. Recently, the texture of fatty fish caught at high latitudes is similar to fatty tuna, so it is popular as "bintoro" in conveyor belt sushi. It is a tuna that is popular among tuna at a reasonable price because it has a large amount of resources.

Fishing ground map

*The above fishing grounds are limited to tuna traded by TOREI.
Skipjack

Skipjack

  • natural
  • Fish body: about 0.3-1m, weight: about 3-10kg

Widely distributed in the waters around Japan, temperate and tropical regions, it is one of the most caught fish in the world. In Japan, it is a fish that travels north along the Pacific Ocean on the Kuroshio Current. When it hits the Oyashio Current and moves south into the Boso Peninsula, the light bonito in spring is called first bonito, and the fatty bonito in autumn is called return bonito. They are eaten as sashimi or seared. It is also used as an ingredient in bonito flakes, salted fish, and canned tuna.

Fishing ground map

*The above fishing grounds are limited to tuna traded by TOREI.

Part 3

Introduction to fishing methods

  • 01
    longline fishing
  • 02
    purse seine fishing
  • 03
    Aquaculture
  • 04
    pole-and-line fishing

01｜Longline fishing

It is a fishing method in which thousands of ropes with bait suspended from a single rope (approximately 150 km) are hung into the sea to catch fish little by little. Since each tuna is caught one by one, it is a fishing method for catching tuna for sashimi, which requires high quality and less damage to the tuna.

longline fishing

02｜Purse seine fishing

This is a fishing method in which a large net is spread out in a circular shape to envelop a school of fish as they swim around. It is also a way to catch a large amount of fish at once. Yellowfin tuna and skipjack tuna are mainly caught in the seas around the world as raw materials for canning and dried bonito. In some areas, it is used as a fishing method to catch tuna for aquaculture, and is used to move a school of fish wrapped in a purse seine through the sea and transfer it to a fish tank.

purse seine fishing

03｜Aquaculture

Juvenile to adult tuna are caught in the wild and slowly towed by boat to a fish tank. Then, while managing the water quality and the condition of the fish tanks, feed them for several months to grow them big. By doing this, you can increase not only the body but also the fatty part of the meat compared to natural products.

aquaculture

04｜Pole-and-line fishing

It is one of the traditional fishing methods, in which a small fishing boat goes out to sea to search for a school of tuna, and when a school is found, it is sprinkled with bait and caught one by one with a fishing rod. Since the fish are caught one by one, there are few scratches and the freshness is good.

pole-and-line fishing

Part 4

Product information

Part introduction
  • red meat

    red meat

    It is the body in the center of the torso, and the way the muscles are inserted varies depending on the part. You can enjoy the chewy texture and the original taste of tuna. It is a part where you can enjoy the difference in taste depending on the type of tuna.

  • Chutoro

    Chutoro

    Chutoro is a popular cut because it is easy to eat and has a large amount of fat that can be taken from the belly and back of the body. is.

  • fatty tuna

    fatty tuna

    Otoro, which is representative of high-class sushi, can be taken from the belly side of the body, near the head. Otoro fat has a low melting point and melts away the moment you put it in your mouth.

Processing form

  • GG (Gilled and Gutted)

    Blood is removed to maintain freshness, and perishable parts such as gills and internal organs are removed.

  • dress

    dress

    The head and tail are cut off from the GG, making it headless.

  • Filet

    Filet

    The dress is split in two along the vertebrae and cut into three pieces.

  • loin (quartered)

    loin (quartered)

    The fillet is further divided into two parts, the back meat and the belly meat, and the meat is divided into quarters.

raw food products

  • Sushi seeds and pickles

    Depending on the application, we can handle everything from pickled slices to sushi toppings. We easily provide the right amount of stable quality for various menus such as sushi toppings, sashimi, tekka bowls, pickled bowls, and carpaccio.

    Sushi seeds and pickles

  • cut off tuna

    We have a wide variety of products such as chirashi sushi, tekka rice bowl, pickled rice bowl, and carpaccio. We provide products with specifications that match the application, from commercial use to commercial pack products.

    cut off tuna

  • Tataki tuna plate

    Manufactured in our own factory exclusively for tataki tuna, we deliver product development and quality that meets customer needs. We can meet all your needs, from commercial use to small-lot commercial packs, such as for sushi toppings, rolls, and rice ball ingredients. In addition, from the perspective of effective use of resources, we are also working on the development of original products that contain tuna oil and tuna collagen.

    Tataki tuna plate

  • Seared tuna core, iron fire core

    At our own factory dedicated to tataki tuna, we manufacture and deliver various types of tataki cores and iron cores for thin and thick rolls. We respond to all needs, such as stable quality and price, development for specific uses, and product development that makes the most of the flavor and color of the ingredients.

    Seared tuna core, iron fire core

5

Sustainability

  • Consideration for human rights and labor in the supply chain

    in the supply chain
    Consideration for human rights, labor, etc.

    In order to use and procure sustainable marine resources, TOREI is addressing environmental resource issues and IUU fishing, as well as human rights and labor issues in the tuna supply chain. In August 2022, we established procurement guidelines for tuna to resolve these issues. We will contribute to a sustainable tuna business by correctly identifying suppliers.

  • Promotion of procurement of environmentally certified products

    Promotion of procurement of environmentally certified products

    TOREI promotes procurement from suppliers around the world who have acquired environmental certifications such as "MSC certification" and "MEL certification". Procuring marine products that have acquired environmental certification leads to the conservation of the environment and biodiversity of the production area and the sustainable use of resources.

  • Effective use of resources

    Effective use of resources

    TOREI is working to add value and recycle unused parts derived from tuna processing. We make effective use of the characteristics of tuna, such as collagen from tuna skin and fish meal and fish oil from processed offcuts (fish bones).

Sustainability information