DUBAI: UAE-based butcher shop Prime Gourmet launched a seafood version of the shop, in collaboration with Mizuho Gulf Capital Partners Ltd.
Fishmonger by Prime Gourmet offers an array of high-quality imported seafood from Japan and Spain. The shop provides a fresh seafood section as well a frozen section.
The newly opened shop hosted an opening day event on Oct. 3 in attendance of the Japanese Consul-General in Dubai IMANISHI Jun, Mizuho Gulf Capital Partners’ CEO Hitoshi Sugawara and Country Hill International’s CEO Dariush Rakhshani.
Country Hill International and Mizuho partnered together to launch the fish offering to the UAE market.
Speaking to Arab News Japan, Sugawara said that the Fishmonger was a “great collaboration that showcases the high level of trade between the UAE and Japan.”
He explained that the Middle East was a huge market for Japanese products and that Mizuho Gulf was looking to expand further in the region.
Fishmonger’s Head Chef Elia Piazza is leading the shop with his expertise, which he trained in Japan for.
“I’ve been training [in Japan] for a few weeks, about sushi and sashimi,” Piazza told Arab News Japan. “We import most of the fish from Japan, especially the tuna. We will be offering traditional sushi from Japan. The fish will come from Japan straight away, weekly.”
Piazza added that Japanese fish was “very organic” and will bring some new traditional Japanese flavors to Dubai.
Country Hill International’s Director Flavio Del Moro also told Arab News Japan that they have noticed a “huge demand for high quality fish” in Dubai.
“Thanks to our Japanese partner, we had the opportunity to get in touch with some Japanese fish markets to help import the high-quality fish,” he said. Fishmonger also imports fish from Spain, giving customers a wide array of seafood to choose from.
“We thought to open a gourmet store to offer this quality of seafood so that people don’t necessarily need to go to the top notch or fine dining places for this quality,” Del Moro added.
Country Hill International’s CEO Rakhshani praised Japan’s high level of quality when it came to their food products, their technology and their work ethic.
“Partnering with a Japanese company for this project has been an honor,” he said. “We think the UAE and the Middle East is the perfect market for Japanese products because the market [here] appreciates it.”
Fishmonger by Prime Gourmet opened at Dubai’s Town Center offering customers fresh produce straight from Asia and Europe.