A new US$14m, 8,000-ton cold storage facility has been built and commissioned in Tema, adding to the country’s growing asset base when it comes to modern and safe preservation of fish.
Owned by Pioneer Food Cannery, a subsidiary of the Thai Union Group and producers of the Star Kist Brand, this cold store is fully equipped with modern salting and sizing facilities.
According to the Thai Union Group, ownership of a new cold store in close proximity to PFC’s production factory will cut down on logistical delays and consolidate the company’s storage needs into one location for increasing raw materials.
“PFC has been renting cold stores across Tema to support this operation, finding a cold store that meet our specifications has been challenging.
“Through close collaboration with a few industry partners we have successfully brought this project over the line whilst meeting both local and EU expectations. Previously, our standard cold store came with logistical challenges including increased traffic and therefore that’s what we want to eliminate” the PFC Plant Director, Johnny Ladouche explained.
“For all the years PFC has been in Ghana, it has not really owned a lot of material assets. We have the building structure that is owned by PFC of the plant but no land no cold storage, no warehouse, no forklifts, no trucks, and even the machines that we are using are leased.
“However, the circumstance is changing with the opening of this new cold store today, and with a long-term investment, I believe is a tremendous commitment of the Thai Union Group into PFC and into Ghana” the Europe Operations Director of the Thai Union Group, Sven Massen stated.
“Thai Union has not invested in PFC since 2010. Since then, this is the first major investment that we have made and this investment is in amount of $14 million. I believe that this investment would demonstrate our commitment and our confidence in the country of Ghana, in the city of Tema and also in the PFC management team” CEO & President of the Thai Union Group, Khun Thirapong Chansiri said.
The Member of Parliament for Tema East, Isaac Ashai Odamten, praised Pioneer Food Cannery for their decades of collaboration with the industrial city of Tema and its people, and called for even stronger investment in the human resource of the company.
“This edifice presents to you much better cost savings in your operations. I foresee and expect that the living conditions and the standard of living of our people who work in the Pioneer Group both in Ghana and across the globe may improve by the major savings you are making here” he stated.
The Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Abdul-Aziz Ayaba Musah, said the investment in this facility aligns with the government’s goals for the fisheries sector, which hinge on the hygienic preservation of fish and the mitigation of post-harvest losses.
“This new facility embodies our collective commitment to excellence in food preservation and distribution and to leverage the latest refrigeration technologies to extend the shelf life of fish products, reduce spoilage and enhance food safety. These improvements are essential for meeting both domestic and international standards” he said.
The Thai Union Group is widely represented in the global tuna production sector with factories in France, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Norway, and Seychelles among others.
