Stockfish, heads & other
STOCKFISH
Stockfish is gutted and beheaded fish either round or split that is air-dried outdoors on traditional wooden racks in Iceland and Norway. The slow, natural drying process locks in all the nutrients of the fresh fish while concentrating its flavour, resulting in a product of exceptional quality.
Stockfish contains no added salt and is entirely free from artificial additives. Its production is one of the most resource efficient and energy friendly food manufacturing processes in the world.
Iceland and Norway offer ideal conditions for stockfish production. The climate must strike a careful balance: cool enough to prevent damage from flies and maggots, yet warm enough to avoid freezing. A steady cold breeze carrying a hint of sea salt delivers the best results.
Stockfish is Iceland's oldest export product and was its primary export for centuries. Drying is the world's oldest known method of food preservation, and stockfish stored under the right conditions can last for several years.
Cod is the most commonly used fish, though other whitefish including Saithe (Pollock), Haddock, Ling and Tusk are also used. Nigeria is by far the largest market for stockfish with Italy, Croatia, USA, UK, France and Germany also among the key destinations.
When ready for shipping, stockfish is sorted by quality, length and weight, then packed in 45kg net hessian bales designed to allow airflow and keep the fish dry in transit.
DRIED FISH HEADS
Fish heads, sometimes classified as offal or by-product, have a well established and dedicated market in Nigeria, where they are prized for producing a rich, flavourful stock that forms the base of traditional stew dishes. Most heads are dried outdoors in the open air, though indoor-dried heads produced in purpose built drying chambers are also available, offering an extended shelf life without the need for refrigeration.
Indoor drying has become increasingly common for good reason: it reduces drying time, ensures a more consistent year round supply, and delivers more uniform quality unaffected by weather. Challenges associated with outdoor drying such as flies, unpredictable conditions and the risk of frost dam ageare eliminated entirely.
Fish heads are packed in 30kg net hessian bales to maintain airflow and keep the product dry.
OTHER PRODUCTS
We also supply a range of additional stockfish products, including trimmings, fillets, collarbones, backbones and steaks (cutlets). These are supplied in 30kg bags, ready for repacking into smaller retail or wholesale units.