South Africa Aims to Introduce Premium Abalone to European Market

Cologne: The South Africa Abalone Export Council is actively pursuing new markets in Europe as part of its strategic market diversification efforts. The Council's Chief Executive Officer, Rhomona Gounden, is spearheading this initiative by representing the sector at the renowned Anuga Food and Beverage Trade Fair in Cologne, Germany, alongside 30 other South African companies. According to South African Government News Agency, the Anuga trade fair, the largest global food and beverage exhibition, commenced on Saturday, 4 October, and will conclude on Wednesday, 8 October 2025. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) has organized a national pavilion where South African agro-processing companies are showcasing their products. This initiative is part of the department's broader efforts to help companies explore markets worldwide, contributing to the country's export diversification strategy. Gounden describes her participation at Anuga as both a strategic mission and an opportunity to ra ise awareness about South African abalone, a premium seafood largely popular in Asia but relatively unknown in Europe. Her booth has garnered significant attention from trade show visitors. She emphasizes the importance of educating the European market and building consumer awareness for South African abalone. The Council faces a significant challenge in marketing the product in Europe, with Gounden acknowledging the task ahead. "Not many people know about abalone here in Europe. That is exactly the reason why we had to participate in this popular and big trade fair with the assistance of the dtic. We have a lot of work to do. We are making all efforts to explore Europe as a potential market, in order to diversify our export markets into the European Union," Gounden stated. She expressed optimism about finding export opportunities in Europe, with France being a potential entry point due to its affinity for exotic foods. The South African Abalone Export Council, established in 2006, represents six member com panies covering twelve farms, mainly in the Western Cape and one in the Eastern Cape. The sector produces approximately 3,000 tonnes of abalone annually, with 99% of farmed abalone exported to traditional markets such as China, Japan, Canada, and Singapore. This labor-intensive industry provides employment to 2,500 people.