Tuna is a saltwater fish that is canned for both commercial and retail usage since it is one of the major sources of animal protein. Canning is a method of preservation for foods that are highly perishable by nature. Canning is generally done in an airtight container that prevents food products from coming into contact with atmospheric conditions, thereby increasing their shelf life. Edible oils, sauces, and mineral salt solutions (like brine water) are the storage mediums used inside the canned container.
Tuna fish has high health benefits like blood pressure control, boosting overall immunity, and renal benefits, among others. Canning tuna paves the way for huge employment generation from the entire value chain, including the catching, processing, and trade of tuna fish. The fresh tuna trade was done through auctions but was slowly replaced by freezing the product in canned containers to increase the shelf life and aid in transportation over large distances. The organization of canned tuna industry comprises complex international trade networks of developing nations like the 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 processing and final distribution and consumption.
Skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna, bluefin tuna, and others (big-eye tuna, albacore tuna, and so on) are the product types of canned tuna. The canned tuna market is driven by culinary products like sashimi and sushi. The canned tuna industry is primarily supplied by wild fishing (open sea/ocean fishing). For sushi, bluefin tuna is the major product type, and for sashimi, skipjack and yellowfin are the 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, which will affect the market for bluefin tuna in the near future.
Based on the distribution channel, the market is segmented into Brokers & Consignees, Retail Outlets (Supermarkets, Hypermarkets), and Others [Specialist Stores, Online Retail, Street Markets, etc.]. Illegal tuna fishing activities have increased due to the complex value chain for the canned tuna market, moderate restrictions in tuna fishing, particularly in Spain, and newly discovered health hazards of tuna overconsumption. Despite the fact that specialist fishmongers and street fish markets are unregulated distribution channels, they often indulge in independent trading of canned tuna. According to UN Food and Agriculture Organization mandates, freezing techniques must be closely monitored to ensure that the product is safe for consumption. The illegal trade of canned tuna is unregulated, 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 worth several million dollars. A more controlled and restricted environment for the canned tuna fish market can be expected in the European region.
On the whole, supermarkets held the largest share of the canned tuna market in 2017 due to consolidation, mergers, and acquisitions of retail outlets. Tri-Marine International's merger with Bumblebee Foods—Chicken of the Seas in 2015 has made the canned tuna industry highly concentrated in the North American region. Other multinational supermarkets, such as TESCO and Carrefour, have merged the majority of independent fishmongers and street markets in the countries where they have a presence.
In 2017, in terms of demand and 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, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Latin America was also a good export market for canned tuna, with countries like Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador, and Columbia leading the region's market as of 2017.
The 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 and consignees
Retail Outlets
Supermarkets
Hyper-markets
Others (specialty 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
MEA (Middle East and Africa)
GCC
the remainder 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's, Safeway, Inc., Trimarine International, Bumble Bee Foods, and other notable players
This report offers the following:
Assessment of canned tuna market trends for the period 2016–2026
Historical (past) information for 2016 and 2017 and projections with CAGRs from 2018 to 2026, considering 2017 as the 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 profile with major information about the key players operating in the canned tuna market
Estimation of the market size in terms of value and volume
Frequently Asked Questions:
The market for Canned Tuna is expected to reach US$ XX Mn in 2026.
The Canned Tuna market is expected to see significant CAGR growth over the coming years,at XX%.
