The fish market of Bangladesh is dominated by contemporary water fishes whereas poultry-based snacks rule the frozen meals market. One seafood primarily based frozen meals model desires to finish these monopolies
Wild-caught sea fish, the important thing ingredient of all Roja’s merchandise, is caught from the Bay of Bengal utilizing the Sea Sources Group’s personal fleet. Picture: Courtesy
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Wild-caught sea fish, the important thing ingredient of all Roja’s merchandise, is caught from the Bay of Bengal utilizing the Sea Sources Group’s personal fleet. Picture: Courtesy
The frozen meals market within the nation has been booming within the final decade. In 2019, the business was estimated to be value Tk800 crore and a world analysis organisation predicted the business would attain Tk3,000 crore by 2024.
The pandemic, in the meantime, offered such a lift to its reputation that the business might very effectively be near these predictions already. Two of the largest gamers out there, Pran RFL and Golden Harvest, reported their gross sales shot up by 50 to one hundred pc, over the last two years.
Tucked away in a nook of this galloping business is the model Roja, owned by Sea Sources Group, a sister concern of Rangs Group, that solely makes processed frozen seafood in a market the place hen nuggets, hen samosa, hen sausages and a bunch of different meat gadgets dominate.
Roja, which began its journey in 2019 is a dream challenge of Romana Rouf Chowdhury, the Managing Director of Sea Sources Group.
Sea Sources Group is among the main wild-caught sea fish exporters within the nation, working since 1982, and provides the frozen sea fish required to make Roja branded merchandise.
The thought behind Roja was to provide you with thrilling value-added merchandise primarily based on sea fish which is able to encourage folks to attempt seafood.
Wild-caught sea fish, the important thing ingredient of all Roja’s merchandise, is caught from the Bay of Bengal utilizing the Sea Sources Group’s personal fleet. Picture: Courtesy
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Wild-caught sea fish, the important thing ingredient of all Roja’s merchandise, is caught from the Bay of Bengal utilizing the Sea Sources Group’s personal fleet. Picture: Courtesy
In a dialog with The Enterprise Customary, Makame Mahmud, one of many Administrators of Roja stated, “We take pleasure in being the primary Bangladeshi model to supply ready-to-cook/eat dietary seafood from ocean to plate.
There may be nothing that resonates extra with a Bengali’s urge for food than fish. Catering to this craving and the rising want for ready-to-cook comfort meals with uncompromised high quality, Roja was born.”
That being stated, working with one thing totally different and being first out there comes with loads of obstacles.
Sea fish, which might be too wild-caught, wants a powerful logistic help and preservation facility and that, in flip, wants a hefty capital. Additionally, expertise performs a significant function right here. These are the the explanation why any entity has not accepted the problem of taking seafood gadgets a step forward.
Roja’s merchandise are a fusion of desi and international delicacies and until date they’ve launched 20+ merchandise out there. Picture: Courtesy
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Roja’s merchandise are a fusion of desi and international delicacies and until date they’ve launched 20+ merchandise out there. Picture: Courtesy
For now, the largest problem of Roja is motivating clients to experiment with seafood-based snacks. It requires a behavioural shift which isn’t really easy provided that we’re so used to having chicken-based snacks and a selected flavour.
“We’ve got heard the purchasers say that ‘it smells fishy,’ which it’s imagined to. Like hen, fish doesn’t take in added flavours, so the scent and style of fish stay very distinguished,” defined Mahmud.
Additionally, the worth of wild-caught seafood gadgets is relatively increased than hen, freshwater sea fish and different options. In consequence, the demand for sea fish or seafood-based merchandise tapers off.
“It is extremely pure that one thing caught from the wilderness will probably be extra pricey than one thing that has been farmed. The worth comparability is irrational however folks do it anyway with out contemplating the meals worth and availability,” opined Mahmud.
Nonetheless, Mahmud stays very hopeful about his model believing that persons are steadily changing into extra health-conscious.
Until date, Roja has launched 20+ merchandise accessible out there, some are really distinctive for an area firm, together with Shrimp Tempura, Butterfly Shrimp, Calamari Bites, Hilsha Kabab, Seafood Popcorn, and so on.
“Our merchandise are a fusion of desi and international delicacies. We wish to mix sea-based meals with our native delicacies, and I imagine it displays in our meals gadgets. Merchandise like Shrimp Samosa, Shrimp Shingara, Shrimp Puri, Hilsa Kabab are examples of that,” added Mahmud.
Roja’s merchandise are a fusion of desi and international delicacies and until date they’ve launched 20+ merchandise out there. Picture: Courtesy
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Roja’s merchandise are a fusion of desi and international delicacies and until date they’ve launched 20+ merchandise out there. Picture: Courtesy
Mahmud was reluctant to disclose the gross sales figures for the varied Roja gadgets out there however admitted that their frozen paratha, one of many few non-seafood gadgets of their repertoire, was performing one of the best out there.
Wild-caught sea fish, the important thing ingredient of all these merchandise, is caught from the Bay of Bengal utilizing the Sea Sources Group’s personal fleet.
After that, these fishes are transported to Narayanganj, the place the processing manufacturing unit is situated, the place round 100 persons are employed.
At current, Roja merchandise are solely accessible in Dhaka, Chattogram, and a few elements of Sylhet. The merchandise can be found in famend tremendous outlets like Unimart, Meena Bazar, Aagora, Swapno, and so on., and in some outlets outdoors Dhaka as effectively.
Seafood is taken into account a low-calorie meals in comparison with different protein-rich meals corresponding to meat and poultry.
Each three-ounce serving of cooked fish or shellfish, normally, offers about one-third of the common day by day advisable quantity of protein to an grownup.
“Our aim is to supply a superior high quality different [to poultry-based frozen snacks] to our clients. So as to take action, we’re repeatedly making an attempt out totally different recipes and merchandise.
We wish to carry sea fish and seafood to the mainstream,” stated Romana Rouf Chowdhury.
