Overview:

Tuna is a saltwater fish canned for both commercial and retail usage since it is one of the major sources of animal protein. Canning is a method of preservation of food stuffs that are highly perishable in nature. Canning is generally done in an air-tight container that prevents contact of food products from atmospheric conditions thereby increasing its shelf-life. Edible oils, sauces, mineral salt solutions (like brine water) are the storage medium used inside the canned container.

Tuna fish has high health benefits like blood pressure control, boosts overall immunity, renal benefits amongst others. Canning tuna paves way for huge employment generation from the entire value chain including fish catching, processing and trade of tuna fish. The fresh tuna trade was done through auctions that was slowly replaced by freezing the product in canned containers to increase the shelf life and to aid in transportation over large distances. The organization of canned tuna industry comprises complex international trade networks of the developing nations like Asia Pacific, which is the major exporter, and developed regions like North America and Europe, which are the major importers. The developed regions import semi-processed canned tuna to their facilities for further completion of process for final distribution and consumption.

The canned tuna is segmented by product type into Skipjack tuna, Yellowfin tuna, Bluefin tuna and Others (Big-eye tuna, Albacore tuna, etc.). The canned tuna market is driven by culinary products like sashimi and sushi. The canned tuna industry is majorly supplied by wild fishing (open sea/ocean fishing). For Sushi Bluefin tuna is the major product type and for Sashimi, Skipjack and Yellowfin are dominant species in its preparation. Japan is the major market for this canned tuna. Despite that, the Japanese market is shrinking its traditional tuna consumption that will affect the market for Bluefin tuna in the near future.

Based on the distribution channel, the market is segmented into Brokers & Consignee’s, Retail Outlets (Super-markets, Hyper-markets and Others [Specialist Stores, Online Retail, Street Markets, etc.]). Due to complex value chain for canned tuna market, moderate restrictions in tuna fishing especially in Spain, and newly discovered health hazards of over consumption of tuna have led to increased illegal tuna fishing activities. Despite the specialist fish mongers and street fish market come under regulated distribution channel, they often indulge in independent trading of the canned tuna. As per mandates from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organizations, the frozen techniques have to be critically monitored so that the product is fit for consumption. Illegal trade of canned tuna is un-regulated and hence it could pose health hazards due to improper storage techniques. The recent tuna frozen in brine fraud, in January 2018, is estimated to be of several million dollars. More controlled and restricted environment for canned tuna fish market can be expected in the European region.

On the whole, super-markets held the largest share of canned tuna market in 2017 due to consolidation, mergers and acquisition of retail outlets. Tri-marine International merging with Bumble-bee Foods – Chicken of the seas in 2015 has made the canned tuna industry to be highly concentrated in the North American region. Other multinational super/hypermarkets like TEESCO and Carrefour have merged most of the independent fish mongers and street markets in most of the countries where they have presence.

In 2017, in terms of demand/consumption, globally, Europe was the major market for canned tuna closely followed by the North American and Asia Pacific regions. As of 2017, Thailand was the largest exporter of processed tuna globally. The other Asia Pacific countries leading in exports of canned tuna are China, Philippines and Indonesia. Latin America was also a good export market for canned tuna with countries like Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador and Columbia leading the regions market, as of 2017.

Global Canned Tuna Market is segmented as below:

• By Product Type
  • Skipjack tuna
  • Yellowfin tuna
  • Bluefin tuna
  • Others (Big-eye tuna, Albacore tuna, etc.)
• By Distribution Channel
  • Brokers & Consignee’s
  • Retail Outlets
  • Super-markets
  • Hyper-markets
  • Others (Specialist Stores, Street markets, Online Retail, etc.)
• By Geography
  • North America
    • U.S.
    • Canada
  • Europe
    • U.K.
    • France
    • Germany
    • Spain
    • Rest of Europe
  • Asia Pacific
    • Japan
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • Philippines
    • Rest of APAC
  • Latin America
    • Brazil
    • Mexico
    • Ecuador
    • Rest of Latin America
  • Middle-East & Africa (MEA)
    • GCC
    • Rest of MEA

Key players across the Canned Tuna Market value chain are:

Thai Union Group, StarKist, The Tuna Store LLC, Wild Planet, American Tuna, Inc., Trader Joe, Safeway, Inc., Trimarine International, Bumble Bee Foods, and other notable players.

This report offers:

• Assessment of canned Tuna market trends for the period 2016-2026
• Historical (past) information for 2016 & 2017 and projections with CAGRs from 2018 to 2026 considering 2017 as base year for the market
• Market drivers, restraints, future prospects and competitive analysis (market positioning) of key market players
• Overview of the canned tuna industry value chain
• Company profiling with major information about the key players operating in canned tuna market
• Estimation of market size in terms of value and volume