Norwegian salmon's 40-year journey to conquer world cuisine

Celebrating 40 years since Norwegian salmon became a symbol of Japanese sushi, the Norwegian Seafood Council offers Vietnamese consumers the opportunity to enjoy premium salmon and receive exclusive gifts through a strategic cooperation program between the Norwegian Seafood Council and restaurant chains and retailers.

Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish with a history of more than 500 years, but the use of raw salmon in sushi was a Norwegian invention, introduced to Japanese chefs through the "Project Japan" project. In 1985, Thor Listau - the then Norwegian Minister of Fisheries, and a group of 20 people including exporters and people from different organizations set foot in Japan to introduce Norwegian salmon sushi to the people of the "Land of the Rising Sun" through the Project Japan project.

More than 40 years ago, the Japanese ate sushi mainly from tuna and sea bream. Raw salmon was not used at that time because they believed that salmon from the Pacific Ocean were infected with parasites, had no flavor, color and smell suitable for eating raw.

Therefore, Thor Listau and his delegation "embraced the ambition" to convince the Japanese that salmon from the cold Atlantic Ocean was different and could be used to make sushi. And they succeeded in their campaign to convince the Japanese to use Norwegian salmon in their sushi. By the 1990s, Kaiten sushi (or conveyor belt sushi) became a favorite choice in Japan, then spread throughout Asia, Europe and America. This wave brought sushi closer to people around the world .

The global sushi market grew rapidly in the 2000s, growing at a rate of about 30% per year by 2008. Norwegian salmon had already made its name with gourmets around the world for its superior quality. Today, Norwegian salmon is the leading sushi ingredient in 17 out of 20 countries, accounting for 53% of the global salmon market, exported to 113 countries. The soft and fatty orange-red salmon slices have become a symbol of world cuisine over the past 40 years.

Norwegian salmon is sustainably farmed in a clean and cold seawater environment, creating ideal conditions for Norwegian salmon to grow slowly, forming firm and rich meat fibers, helping the fish to retain its freshness and safety when used to prepare sashimi and sushi dishes. Thanks to its stable quality and strict food safety control process, Norwegian salmon has become a symbol of modern sushi, paving the way for the trend of enjoying high-end seafood globally.

In August, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Norwegian salmon making a name for itself in Japanese sushi and to bring the high-quality Norwegian salmon experience closer to consumers, the Norwegian Seafood Council expanded its activities to strengthen partnerships and promote Norwegian seafood in Vietnam. One of the key highlights was the signing of strategic cooperation agreements with major Japanese restaurant chains Zumwhere and Morico.

From now until 30 September, customers can enjoy premium sushi and sashimi made from fresh Norwegian salmon at Norwegian Seafood Council partner restaurants, including Zumwhere, Morico, Basta Hiro and Botejyu, in a special menu, designed to celebrate the authentic taste and texture of Norwegian salmon, elevating the dining experience. Diners will also have the chance to enter a lucky draw to win prizes such as a football jersey or ball signed by international football superstar and global brand ambassador of the Norwegian Seafood Council, Erling Haaland, a convenient cutlery set or a luxury travel bag.

Through cooperation with leading supermarket chains such as Homefarm, Vimexfood and Kome88, the Norwegian Seafood Council is also striving to bring high-quality Norwegian salmon with the original flavor from Norway closer to consumers. During this same period, customers can visit stores in the Norwegian Seafood Council's partner system and receive attractive gifts such as convenient spoon and chopstick sets branded Seafood from Norway, Seafood from Norway tote bags in the promotion program.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hanh-trinh-40-nam-chinh-phuc-am-thuc-the-gioi-cua-ca-hoi-na-uy-185250904155421332.htm