Korean Seafood Suppliers
Korean seafood exports are led by laver (gim, $850M in 2024 — #1 in agri-food exports), abalone, oysters, blue crab, and pollock. Prioritize suppliers with HACCP, Korea Fishery Products Sanitation Act, and US NOAA Seafood Inspection certifications. Reefer containers (frozen/refrigerated) are required for most products, with cold-chain lot tracking critical. Korean laver dominates US/Japan retail markets via Costco and convenience store channels.
Supplier information for this category is coming soon.
Sourcing Guide
Seafood sourcing centers on cold-chain design and certification checks. Dried products such as laver can ship at ambient temperature, but frozen and refrigerated items like abalone, oysters, and blue crab require a reefer container — and reefer rental runs 2-3× a standard container, which must be built into pricing. When vetting a supplier, confirm HACCP and compliance with the Fishery Products Sanitation Act; for US entry, secure NOAA Seafood Inspection or FDA registration, and for the EU, the approved facility number. Because catch and processing timing drives seafood quality, lot numbers and processing dates must be traceable, and you should request heavy-metal and antibiotic residue test reports. Laver products differ in price and market by grade (seasoned, traditional) and seasoning. MOQ varies widely by item, and cold-chain products typically trade by the container. Run a small first order to verify thaw condition and texture on arrival before scaling volume.
FAQ
What is the minimum order quantity for seafood?
It varies widely by item. Ambient dried products such as laver trade relatively flexibly, but frozen and refrigerated seafood often trades by the reefer container, making one container's volume the effective minimum unit.
Which certifications should a seafood export supplier hold?
HACCP and compliance with the Fishery Products Sanitation Act are the baseline. For US entry, NOAA Seafood Inspection or FDA registration is needed; for the EU, an approved facility number. Request heavy-metal and antibiotic residue test reports as well.
How is the cold chain managed for frozen seafood?
Frozen and refrigerated seafood ships in a reefer container, with rental running 2-3× a standard container. Lot numbers and processing dates must be traceable, and a small first order to verify thaw condition on arrival is prudent.