Uni-Food Technic

The global appetite for fish and fish products is witnessing a steady rise. As a vital source of protein, fish constitutes 17 percent of total animal protein and seven percent of all proteins consumed worldwide. Consequently, suppliers and manufacturers of seafood and fish processing equipment that is clean and high in quality. To cater to this demand, fishing companies are looking for innovative processing equipment that enhances productivity, increases shelf-life, improve food safety, and facilitates exports.

Addressing this need is Uni-Food Technic, an Aalborg, Denmark-based supplier of high-quality, safe, and efficient processing machines and equipment for the fishing industry. The company is at the forefront of offering innovative production lines for whitefish, mackerel, and herring, with a special focus on shrimp and salmon. More recently, Uni-Food also added Barramundi and Tilapia to its repertoire. The firm’s intelligent, fully automatic machinery reduces the need for operators, thereby lowering labour costs and the risk of contamination.

Uni-Food first set sail in 1985 as a trading company led by Bjarne Normann Jensen. Soon, the organisation steered into the production and development of technological equipment, specifically for the food industry. In 1998, a new factory was established, and the company slowly started expanding. Fast forward to 2019, Kurt Christensen, an expert in strategic and operational management, took the wheel and currently serves as the company’s CEO.

At its core, the firm develops and delivers a wide range of fish processing machinery, including salmon slicers, scalers, gutting lines, fillet turners, hygiene equipment, and more. Alongside, Uni-Food also provides a new patented Seapeeler Flex for shrimps in collaboration with Seapeeler ApS. It is an innovative, compact machine that can be easily installed in existing processing lines. “All of our products are made in order to accommodate the demand from the end customers. We continuously undergo product development to ensure high-tech machinery, hygiene safety, and operation convenience,” remarks Christensen, co-owner and CEO, Uni-Food.

The firm’s equipment is also a great leap forward in sustainability and conservation. “Most of the fish processing equipment in the market today uses a lot of water. In contrast to our competitors’ devices, which typically use anywhere between 12 to 15 litres of water per square meter in one hour, our processing equipment uses half a litre per half square meter. This leads to a 90 percent reduction in the amount of water needed,” adds Christensen. Beyond this, the company also provides maintenance services for the equipment purchased. Today, Uni-Food is recognised as a competent business partner that goes to great lengths to accommodate customers’ needs and create custom-made lines as well as individual machines to fit into existing facilities. In fact, numerous fish and fish product manufacturers in Norway, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, and Canada rely on Uni-Food’s fish and shrimp processing solutions.

A case in point that exhibits Uni-Food’s expertise in the fish and shrimp industry is with a Norwegian fish producer, Isfjord. The client witnessed a huge and rapid expansion that necessitated them to shift to a new facility. To that end, they were seeking a solution that will enable them to comply with strict hygiene requirements. Isfjord joined forces with Uni-Food and a prominent consulting agency to double their production. Strengthened by Uni-Food’s highly efficient filet lines, today, the client processes over 300 tonnes of fish each week.

Having carved a niche for itself in the food processing industry, Uni-Food aims to continue developing better processing equipment for both the shrimp and fish industry. “Even though we are a small scale supplier, we are extremely focused on developing new products each year and staying ahead of our competitors,” concludes Christensen.