Rainforest Seafoods has pumped US$2 million in the build-out of a value-added processing facility in Belize.

The facility, which was formally launched on November 17, is the culmination of Rainforest Seafood’s 18-year presence in Belize and forms part of the company’s drive for regional expansion and vertical integration.

Rainforest exports seafood throughout the Caribbean, US, Singapore, and Taiwan through its Belize plant, and is actively seeking to get a foothold in new markets throughout Europe.

The 10,000-square-foot plant features a cold storage capacity of 150,000 lbs, several blast freezers and processing rooms, along with state-of-the-art equipment that facilitates at-source retail packaging which appeals to the international markets.

Chief Executive Officer Brian Jardim reckons that the build-out of the processing plant will aid in the expansion of the company’s product line to include conch, deep-water fish, and sea cucumbers. Already, Rainforest Seafoods has been successfully exporting cooked lobster to Asian markets from its plant in Belize.

“With our investments in this plant’s value-added capabilities, we are proud to say that this facility can stand toe-to-toe with any plant across the globe in terms of HACCP and Best Manufacturing Practices. With its high-quality, sustainable seafood, Belize is a critical component of Rainforest’s strategic plans for continued vertical integration and our vision to be a regional seafood leader with global reach,” Jardim stated in a release from the company.

The opening of the plant has created employment for 35 Belizeans and has improved the livelihood of many fisherfolk in the country. Belizean Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Godwin Hulse lauded the company for their contribution to the country’s fisheries sector. According to the company, its efforts in the market has led to it being touted the largest purveyor of Belizean seafood throughout the Caribbean.

Rainforest Seafoods, which currently employs more than 600 Caribbean team members, remains bullish about the region. The company’s expansion will continue with the development of a similar value-added facility in St Vincent and the Grenadines in the third quarter of 2017, following a US$10-million expansion of its Montego Bay plant.

The 60,000-square-foot facility will be used to produce cooked crabs, lobsters, conch skewers with local vegetables, seafood soups, seafood burgers, pickled saltfish and fish nuggets, among other value-added products sold by the company.