Juan Corrales will take over as chief executive officer of the Bellevue, Washington-based Tri Marine Group on January 1, 2020, succeeding Renato Curto, who is stepping down after 35 years at the helm.
Corrales hails from Bermeo, Spain, where his family founded the Garavilla Group in 1887. He owns several fishing, canning and branding operations worldwide which, like Tri Marine, are part of the privately owned Milano, Italy-headquartered Bolton Group. Bolton completed the acquisition of the Tri Marine tuna supply chain, its factories in Ecuador and the Solomon Islands, and the fleet in Solomon Islands during July of 2019, and is committed to growing the company’s operations and activities worldwide.
A privately held firm founded in 1971 as a tuna supplier based in Singapore, Tri Marine operates one of the world’s most far-reaching and sophisticated tuna supply businesses, with numerous subsidiaries, a fishing fleet including 14 purse seiners, and processing plants spanning the globe from China and Oceania to North and South America. It specializes in transforming wild-caught tuna into cooked loins that are vacuum-packed and frozen for further processing by canners. Also supplied are uncooked frozen tuna loins and ultra low temperature (ULT) frozen tuna handled at -60° C and destined for premium sashimi markets.
Corrales has been in the seafood industry since 1994 and has been chief executive officer of Garavilla for the last 15 years. He has also served as the former chairman of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).
“I have known Renato and the Tri Marine leadership for many years, said Corrales. “Together with the team, I plan to build on Tri Marine’s well-earned reputation for excellence through transparency and integrity.”
“Growing the incredible Tri Marine team and seeing the company evolve has been my life’s work,” said Curto. “Today (December 10), on my 75th birthday, I am honored to pass the torch to Juan. I have full confidence he will lead with integrity and renewed energy. Under Bolton Group’s ownership, Tri Marine will continue to build on our extensive network of sustainable supply chains to effectively serve our customers.”
As a founding member of ISSF, Tri Marine has been at the forefront of sustainable seafood operations. The company is actively developing Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) in major fishing areas. In addition, Tri Marine holds a unique multi-gear MSC certification covering purse seine, long line and pole and line fishing in the South Pacific.
The company will maintain its own identity and will continue to operate independently within Bolton Group.
“Tri Marine is an important supplier to many tuna brands and tuna processors around the world, including Bolton,” said Corrales. “Our suppliers and customers can expect the same high-quality service and product they have always received from Tri Marine. Our supply is 100% traceable and fully transparent, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to sustainability at every step in the supply chain.”
Corrales aims to focus on Tri Marine’s global organization, its relationship with customers, suppliers and communities, and environmental stewardship. The company is global in scope, with tuna operations in the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Pacific.
“Our market intelligence is second to none and sustainability and social responsibility are top priorities,” said Corrales. “We will continue to invest in our capabilities and growth opportunities to ensure we are providing our customers with tuna products they can trust.”
