For fresh-saury processors, maintaining product freshness requires consistent temperature control throughout receiving, holding, processing, and packing—not just chilling fish immediately after harvest. Effective chilling helps preserve quality, extend shelf life, and create opportunities to reach new markets.
At Deepchill, we develop integrated slurry ice solutions that support seafood processors throughout their operations. Our long-standing partnership with Yamahon Corporation, one of Japan’s leading suppliers of fresh saury, demonstrates how integrated chilling can improve product preservation and support business growth. By incorporating Deepchill® technology throughout its facility, Yamahon has extended shelf life, expanded into export markets, and introduced a premium-priced branded product.
In this article, we explore Yamahon’s chilling workflow, the results achieved, and how other seafood processors can benefit from similar solutions. You can also read our Yamahon customer success story for more details.
Integrating Deepchill® From Receiving Through Packing
At Yamahon’s facility, our Deepchill® slurry ice system supports the entire seafood handling process, from the arrival of fresh saury to final packaging. A centralized system generates, stores, and distributes slurry ice to multiple stations, maintaining continuous chilling while reducing manual ice handling.
The system supports three key processing stages:
- Receiving: Fresh saury is chilled in Deepchill® slurry ice immediately upon arrival. The slurry provides close contact with the fish, supporting rapid, uniform chilling and helping preserve quality from the beginning of the processing workflow.
- Holding and processing: Fish is kept in slurry ice before and during processing to minimize temperature fluctuations. This provides flexibility during busy production periods when incoming fish must wait before moving through the processing line.
- Packing: An automated dosing system delivers Deepchill® slurry ice directly into finished packs. Centralized distribution and automated filling help maintain consistent ice quantities while reducing manual handling.
By connecting these stages through one integrated system, Yamahon maintains effective chilling throughout production rather than relying on separate chilling methods. As discussed in our article on challenges facing seafood processors, this approach helps address temperature management and operational efficiency across the processing workflow.
From Fresh Fish to a Premium Saury Product
One of the most significant outcomes of our partnership with Yamahon has been the company’s ability to differentiate its fresh saury in the marketplace. With Deepchill® technology supporting freshness preservation, Yamahon introduced its Deepchilled Fresh saury brand, which achieved several commercial benefits:
- 10–15% price premium compared with its standard fresh-saury offering.
- Faster sales of the premium product.
- Direct shipments to customers, reducing reliance on conventional distribution channels.
- Higher margins supported by greater cold-chain control and direct distribution.
Yamahon President Haruo Yamamoto has described Deepchill® as indispensable for maintaining the freshness of saury intended for raw consumption. The company’s experience demonstrates how effective chilling, combined with product quality, branding, and distribution strategies, can support premium positioning and profitability.
Extending Shelf Life and Reaching New Export Markets
By integrating our slurry ice technology throughout its processing operations, Yamahon has improved freshness preservation and extended the shelf life of its saury. These improvements have helped the company reach new markets, increase market share, and export Grade A fresh saury to South Korea.
For seafood processors, longer shelf life can support shipments to more distant markets, provide greater distribution flexibility, and help maintain product quality during transportation. While successful exports also depend on regulatory requirements, grading standards, and logistics, consistent chilling plays an important role in preserving seafood throughout the supply chain.
Yamahon’s experience shows how investing in integrated chilling can create opportunities beyond the local market and support long-term commercial growth.
A Deepchill® System That Grew With Yamahon
Our partnership with Yamahon dates back to 1999. Since then, Yamahon has expanded its operations five times, and we’ve expanded its Deepchill® system with each stage of growth to meet increasing production demands.
Following the devastating 2011 tsunami in Onagawa, Japan, Yamahon built a new processing facility and once again chose to integrate Deepchill® technology. This long-standing partnership demonstrates how scalable chilling solutions can continue supporting a seafood processor as its operational requirements evolve.
Our systems can be configured around four main components: slurry ice generation, centralized storage, distribution networks, and automated filling stations. These elements allow us to design solutions around facility layouts, production volumes, and future expansion requirements.
What Other Seafood Processors Can Learn From Yamahon?
Yamahon’s experience highlights several practical considerations for seafood processors looking to improve freshness preservation and operational efficiency:
- Maintain chilling throughout production: Identify temperature gaps between receiving, holding, processing, and packing rather than focusing only on initial chilling.
- Improve holding conditions: Keep seafood effectively chilled during processing delays and periods of high production volume.
- Automate ice dosing: Consistent slurry ice quantities in finished packs can improve packing efficiency and reduce manual handling.
- Integrate chilling with the facility layout: Position generation, storage, distribution, and filling equipment to support the existing production workflow.
- Consider market requirements: Evaluate the freshness, grading, and shelf-life expectations of domestic and export customers.
- Plan for future growth: Choose a chilling system that can accommodate increasing production volumes and additional processing stations.
At Deepchill, we work with processors to evaluate these requirements and develop integrated chilling solutions suited to their seafood species, production conditions, and operational goals. Actual performance and commercial outcomes depend on each facility’s specific requirements.
Improve Seafood Freshness With Integrated Deepchill® Technology
Yamahon’s success demonstrates how integrated chilling can support seafood processors beyond the initial cooling stage. By using Deepchill® slurry ice throughout receiving, holding, processing, and packing, Yamahon has strengthened its ability to preserve freshness while developing premium products, reaching export markets, and expanding its operations.
At Deepchill, we help seafood processors design slurry ice systems tailored to their facilities, production requirements, and growth plans. Whether your goal is to extend shelf life, improve processing efficiency, or prepare for future expansion, our team can help identify an appropriate chilling solution.
Explore our Deepchill® slurry ice solutions or contact our team to discuss your seafood processing requirements.