Tokai Denpun USA

Tokai Denpun USA (TUI) is a leading seafood importer specializing in Japanese products. Initially launched in Japan to sell starch products, TUI has since become one of the world’s leading food companies. While its presence in Japan spans various food sectors, the firm’s focus in the USA is to excel as a premier frozen seafood importer.

This dedication is actualized through a quality control team present at every plant within the company’s network. In the same vein, the company’s flagship brand, TAKUMI, is synonymous with premium quality, with each product undergoing stringent assessments to meet and exceed consumer standards. For two decades, Takumi has been a premier Japanese seafood brand within the US domestic market. With its knowledge of seafood, TUI brings the Takumi brand finest seafood item to your table with no surprise.

Juyu (Danny) Lee, Senior Executive at TUI emphasizes its commitment to sourcing seafood from around the globe, stating, “With a focus on quality, we ensure only the finest products reach your table.”

Collaborating with partners in Alaska and beyond, the firm facilitates a farm-to-fork journey, bringing unmatched seafood delicacies to American and Japanese consumers. TUI directly imports products from overseas, managing every step from arrival at USA ports to storage in its warehouse. Subsequently, its network of distributors efficiently transports the goods to retailers and dining establishments.

In the frozen food space, preserving freshness, maintaining optimal temperature and safeguarding package integrity presents significant challenges. TUI addresses them head-on by prioritizing food preservation through adherence to the FDA HACCP plan. This commitment ensures that frozen foods maintain their original freshness, texture and nutritional value.

By using air vacuum packaging, TUI guarantees packaging durability, effectively preventing dehydration, freezer burn and bacterial growth. However, the transit process presents challenges, particularly the risk of air leakage, potentially leading to moisture accumulation. Drawing from past experiences with its Hamachi fillet, the company tackled this by collaborating with its processing plant to develop a thicker vacuum package and implement strategic product placement techniques, minimizing transportation impact and reducing the likelihood of package air leakage.

TUI’s standard practice is to sell products based on weight, priced per pound. It upholds integrity by consistently adhering to ethical practices in serving clients and business partners. “We do not resort to adding additives to manipulate weight while serving our clients and business partners,” adds Lee.

The firm is dedicated to bringing the treasures of the ocean to customers’ dining tables while maintaining the utmost freshness. Leveraging its expansive global network, TUI offers an extensive array of high-quality fish and seafood sourced from seas worldwide. This includes surimi fish and other frozen products used as processing materials for diverse applications. The firm’s main product line is Seafood to produce which include Hamachi, Tuna saku, Unagi eel, smoked salmon, Sushi ebi, japanese scallop, mackerel, massago and tobiko. It also produces edamame, seaweed salad, and vegetable kakiage.

Embracing a comprehensive production control system, TUI delivers various types of fresh and cultivated fish to its clientele. The company leverages its production and supply bases, spanning domestic and international waters, to guarantee freshness and a dependable supply chain. Continuously striving to enhance its distribution network, the firm prioritizes stable supply, striving to meet the diverse needs of customers with high-quality products.

As fish and seafood gain recognition as health foods and witness increased demand worldwide, the company’s staff responds by traveling across the globe, to multiple locations, including Alaska, Norway and Vietnam, to inspect raw materials personally. With four locations throughout the USA, TUI ensures rapid, responsive service, seamlessly aligning with the local demands.

Headquartered in Seattle, TUI directs operations in Los Angeles, Tampa and New York. The Seattle headquarters primarily manages large-scale logistics, including the transportation of products from overseas to the USA through container shipments and managing the exportation of Alaska products back to Japan. Meanwhile, the other three offices specialize in delivering exceptional customer service, with localized sales teams ensuring prompt and direct responses to customer needs. This operational structure mirrors TUI’s operations in Japan, featuring numerous small offices strategically positioned to offer localized support and responsiveness.

With 13 overseas operating bases across six countries, including China, Taiwan and Thailand, TUI remains agile in adapting to global developments, continuously delivering high-quality products to the seafood industry and setting the standard for excellence.