Hake - Commercial Use

Commercial Use

The demand for hake has been conventionally the most in Europe. Hake has been primarily divided into three principal levels which are fresh hake fish, frozen hake fish and frozen hake fillet. The fresh hake fish is mainly supplied by European production and imports. Frozen hake fish and frozen hake fillet are effectively supplied by imports and European processing companies.

Spain has been recorded as having the highest consumption of hake fish as compared to other European countries, with a yearly consumption of 6 kg/person. Although the consumption of hake and other fish has declined in Spain during the last decade, hake still accounts for about 1/3 of the total fish consumed in Spain. The total hake consumption in Spain is around one half of the total European hake fish consumption. Other countries which follow are; Portugal, France and Italy.

In Spain, fresh hake fish are mostly purchased by restaurants through retailers. Nonetheless, processed hake products are distributed by hake fish wholesalers. Fishmongers, public markets and hypermarkets sell all kind of hake fish available. It can be frozen hake fillet, hake fillet skin-on, and hake fillet skin-ff or hake h&g.

In France, most fish are generally purchased in Hypermarkets but for hake fish, it is an exception. Only 50% of sales represent the whole market. In fact, due to lack of European hake fish, French wholesalers purchase fresh hake from external countries such as Argentina and Namibia which are then directly exported to Spain. Fresh hake fish is mostly exported to Spain.

In Italy most hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, hypermarkets and institutions sector plays an important role in seafood consumption. However, frozen hake fillet are mostly purchased by retailers and wholesalers which are then sold in Supermarkets and hypermarkets. Restaurants and hotels are the primary location for seafood consumption. Statistic has shown that household purchases of fresh hake fillet are higher than others.