Implementing whole of chain analysis for the seafood industry: A toolbox approach

Whole of chain analyses are increasingly recognised as an important tool for improving the efficeincy and effectiveness of agri-food chains, particularly in industries where many producers are small, family-owned businesses. However, there remains confusion in the literature and in practice about the different approaches that can be taken to whole of chain analysis. The purpose of this paper is two-fold: firstly to define and describe the various approaches to analyses of food chains, and secondly, to provide a set of principles and a decision tree from which food industry companies can choose their preferred whole of chain activity based on their intended outcomes. This paper will use the seafood industry as an exemplar, noting that principles could apply across other primary production sectors

Economic analysis for Australian Seafood Chains: development and application of a generic value-chain model

This report is the result of a study undertaken by the Centre of Excellence Science Seafood & Health (CESSH) and the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA) as part of the Seafood CRC Project improving the Supply chain for selected WA Seafood Products The primary objectives of this study are to: -develop a generic value chain model for Australian seafood industries with a future aim to apply the model to quantify the impacts of interventions (either policy or research innovations) on the industries economic performance; -apply the model on a trial basis on three participating fin-fish companies in Western Australia; and -to understand their share of value added contribution to the economy along the whole supply chain.The report presents briefly the theory, concepts and steps used to develop a generic value chain model for Australian Seafood Industry (ASI) and then describes the structure, assumptions and results of the “Value Chain” models for three Fin-fish company cases (company names are kept anonymous due to their business and data confidentiality agreements). The contents of this report are arranged in 6 sections. The theory, modelling procedures, and application of the generic model are described in Section 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Section 5 provides summary results and relevant discussion on the contributions of three fin-fish companies operating in WA. Section 6 presents concluding comments

New Product Development in Small Food Enterprises

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how small businesses may deploy a formalised Stage-Gate approach to new product development (NPD). The original Stage-Gate framework was modified to better suit a small business B2B environment in the seafood industry, and was subsequently applied to a small vertically-integrated crab catching, processing and marketing business.Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a case study methodology. The method used at each stage of the Stage-Gate framework, as well as the time and location details, the people and skills involved, and the evaluative criteria applied for NPD are outlined and discussed; and subsequently synthesized in a modified framework.Findings – The modified Stage-Gate approach was shown to be an effective NPD method, allowing for 92 initial product concepts to be narrowed down to three commercially viable and acceptable products, over a period of less than 11 months. Cost and time were minimised by the four-day ideation process. Furthermore, repeated evaluation of the sensory and market acceptability resulted in strengthened confidence in market attractiveness, while ensuring that appearance, portion size and packaging were based on expert market opinion. Moreover, this approach was successfully completed at less than 25% of the cost of the previous unsuccessful NPD undertaken by the firm.Originality/value – This study advances our understanding of how small businesses may use a formal NPD process to increase the success rate of new products, through development of a modified Stage-Gate approach

Environmental supply chain management in the seafood industry: past, present and future approaches

This review discusses and analyses previous results in identification, development and implementation of cleaner production strategies within the seafood industry. The relevant peer reviewed articles were identified from a structured keyword search and analysed by both supply chain stage (capture and aquaculture, transport, processing, storage and retail), and examination of the cleaner production strategies implemented. Results found entities along the seafood supply chain generally worked separately to improve cleaner production processes and outputs to grow their own businesses. Whilst this approach can be beneficial, it ignores the broader cleaner production potential benefits gained when applied across multiple supply chain entities. The most effective cleaner production strategies for improved environmental performance in each sector of the supply chain were identified with the potential to reduce unnecessary handling, energy usage, storage costs and waste production. To ensure the greatest reduction in environmental impact, a whole of supply chain management system that incorporates life cycle assessment modelling is recommended

Greenhouse gas emissions from a Western Australian finfish supply chain

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the form of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 - eq) from two Western Australian finfish supply chains, from harvest to retail outlet, were measured using streamlined life cycle assessment methodology. The identification of interventions to potentially reduce the GHG emissions was determined from the results obtained. Electricity consumption contributed to the highest GHG emissions within the supply chains measured, followed by refrigeration gas leakage and disposal of unused fish portions. Potential cleaner production strategies (CPS) to reduce these impacts included installing solar panels, recycling the waste, good housekeeping in refrigeration equipment maintenance, and input substitution of refrigeration gas. The results show a combination of these strategies have the potential to reduce up to 35% of the total GHG emissions from fillet harvest, processing and retail

Nutrition and carotenogenesis in Haematococcus pluvialis

This study examined various aspects of nutrition and carotenogenesis in the chlorophyte microalga, Haematococcus pluvialis. A feature of the H. pluvialis literature has been conflicting results relating to growth and carotenogenic productivities as well as in the reporting of nutritional and environmental requirements. The results presented in this thesis showed that these differences were due to strain variation. Variation in growth parameters was often due to strain variation in nutritional requirements. Strains were shown to differ in the ability to grow heterotrophically, the optimal sodium acetate concentration and the requirement for vitamins. As well the concentration of carotenoid and the proportion of different carotenoid species in the pigment profile also varied with strain. The results demonstrated that optimisation of culture conditions for growth and carotenoid production in H. pluvialis must be strain specific. Heterotrophic and mixotrophic growth was demonstrated in two strains using sodium acetate as the organic substrate. Parameters tested in mixotrophic and heterotrophic culture included source of inoculum, pH, nitrogen source and the requirement for vitamins. An interaction between pH and sodium acetate concentration was identified in mixotrophic and heterotrophic growth and was associated with the mechanisms of acetate uptake. The results confirmed that the relationship between heterotrophic, mixotrophic and photoautotrophic growth was variable depending on strain and sodium acetate concentration. Whilst none of the tested strains could grow heterotrophically on substrates other than sodium acetate, the utilisation of different organic substrates for mixotrophic growth was also strain dependent. One particularly versatile strain could utilise organic acids, alcohols, sugar, amino acids and carbohydrates for mixotrophic growth. When glucose and acetate were supplied together in heterotrophic culture this strain metabolised both carbon sources even though glucose alone was an ineffective heterotrophic substrate. A review of the literature suggested that the three factors most commonly reported to lead to the induction and stimulation of astaxanthin accumulation in H. pluvialis could be summarised as i) light, ii) inhibition of cell division by nutrient limitation (e g. nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium) or growth inhibiting conditions (high temperature, salinity) and iii) addition of a supplementary carbon supply (usually organic acids such as acetate). Astaxanthin accumulation was therefore examined in relation to these factors. The results showed that illumination, inhibition of cell division and/or formation of aplanospores were not essential for astaxanthin synthesis to begin. although astaxanthin concentration was higher with increased irradiance, conditions which prevented cell division (nitrogen limitation, incubation at 35°C) and/or the addition of supplementary carbon as sodium acetate. The results suggest that all cells of H. pluvialis carry the functioning enzymes for astaxanthin synthesis, and the concentration of carotenoid was defined by the availability of carbon which can be directed to pigment synthesis. Growth conditions which improve the supply of carbon to the cell will therefore improve the rate of astaxanthin accumulation. Examples of such conditions may include •Mixotrophic culture when compared to heterotrophic culture. •Increased photosynthetic rate associated with increasing but not photoinhibitory irradiance. •Addition of supplementary organic carbon. As well, a change in the metabolic status of the cell (eg inhibition of cell division) may divert the dominant metabolic pathways for available carbon, such that more carbon was available for pigment synthesis. With manipulation of culture conditions to stimulate the formation of astaxanthin-rich and astaxanthin-poor aplanospores and flagellate cells, the different cell-types were exposed to different stress conditions to elucidate possible functions for astaxanthin accumulation in H. pluvialis. The results showed that astaxanthin had multiple functions in the cell. Photoprotection was confirmed in both aplanospores and flagellate cells, however in the astaxanthin-rich flagellate cells high concentrations of astaxanthin conferred protection against high temperature and salinity. Also, the hypothesised relationship between carbon supply and astaxanthin concentration suggests a storage role for the pigment. Mutants produced by nitrosoguanidine mutation showed increased carotenoid concentrations when compared to the wild-type control. However, the variation in the mutants was less than was observed in the wild-type strains. Targeted strain selection appears to be the most effective strategy for increasing carotenogenesis in H. pluvialis

What Chefs Want When Buying Australian Seafood

The food service sector is a significant sector of the food industry and yet little research has considered how and why chefs make purchasing decisions. This article explores how and why chefs make purchasing decisions for seafood to provide a basis from which the various stakeholders involved in seafood, fishers, farmers, and wholesalers can improve their business operations. Interviews were conducted with 68 chefs from three major cities in Australia. Results indicate that chefs purchase from multiple suppliers, with key drivers being consistency of quality and supply. Suppliers act as double gatekeepers, with little information going from chefs to producers and vice versa. Based on the findings, strategies are posited for both producers and wholesalers to better serve the food service sector

Creating Value in the supply Chain for Australian Farmed Barramundi: Whole of Chain Perspective

This article investigates 4 key areas of supply chain management to identify opportunities to create value for Australian farmed barramundi. These key areas are product attributes, material flow, information flow, and relationships. This exploratory study forms the first stage of a value chain mapping study. Based on data gathered from 13 in-depth interviews, 7 with farmers and 6 with wholesalers/retailers, a preliminary map of the value chain for Australian farmed barramundi was developed. From a producer perspective, 3 key issues emerged: lack of collaboration, inconsistency of product quality, and lack of knowledge of what consumers value. Although wholesalers/retailers identify product consistency as a key issue, they further identify product dumping and the growth of imports as areas of major concern. These findings laid the foundation for strategy development at both the individual and industry level. The insights from this case highlight the value of chain analyses as a diagnostic tool for strategy development