Live shellfish export to EU
Live shellfish export to EU
Author
Discussion

Ds1490

Original Poster:

16 posts

39 months

Thursday 25th August 2022
quotequote all
So family member is toying with the idea of setting up as a wholesaler of live langoustine and lobster into the eu (France).

They have great connections with the local boats and can get a great supply of top quality Scottish produce.

They speak fluent French also and have put the feelers out with a few contacts in France who would be putting in large orders should she go ahead.

The thing putting her off is the horror story's about paperwork etc and shipments being ruined due to delays

Is there any where she could get advice on setting this sort of thing up ie business gateway and the like ?

rdjohn

6,747 posts

211 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
I suspect that to try and get round the many obstacles would be so time consuming it could kill the business.

I would think that finding a French wholesaler who is already importing Scottish Salmon etc and already knows how to do the paperwork and has a more sympathetic welcome from their Douanes as well as an established customer base, is probably an easier way to go.

Learn their procedures and go it alone at some future time when EU relations have become less tense.

https://www.europages.co.uk/companies/france/fish%...

The jiffle king

7,228 posts

274 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
A couple of things to think about

- The export will likely need to be signed off by a vet (even dead fish has to have this) so an export company who specialises in this would be useful
- Delays at borders have been poor in the past few months depending upon which country you are sending things to. France has had a number of delays on some food products (not as bad as Netherlands and Belgium)

There is a lot of paperwork.....

Tom8

4,488 posts

170 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
Are they catching the fish? If they are at sea could they not hand the fish over to Pierre and take payment there?

dirky dirk

3,293 posts

186 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
youll need a specialist forwarder and alot of paperwork

Ds1490

Original Poster:

16 posts

39 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
rdjohn said:
I suspect that to try and get round the many obstacles would be so time consuming it could kill the business.

I would think that finding a French wholesaler who is already importing Scottish Salmon etc and already knows how to do the paperwork and has a more sympathetic welcome from their Douanes as well as an established customer base, is probably an easier way to go.

Learn their procedures and go it alone at some future time when EU relations have become less tense.

https://www.europages.co.uk/companies/france/fish%...
Do you mean sell directly to a wholesaler? That’s pretty much what she wants to do.. forgive me if I’m being stupid and reading it wrong, the beer is very strong here

Ds1490

Original Poster:

16 posts

39 months

Friday 26th August 2022
quotequote all
dirky dirk said:
youll need a specialist forwarder and alot of paperwork
Most of the reasonable sized shellfish guys seem to have their own transport side, obviously that won’t be an option for her anytime soon so where would be best to look for a haulage firm, that is reliable also

Pete54

219 posts

126 months

Saturday 27th August 2022
quotequote all
We recently moved from Scotland to France - not very shellfish related but......

We used one of the very few companies still prepared to do it. They decided they would pretty much corner the market by doing the paperwork and keeping the whole thing 'in house'. From our point of view it was pricy, but completely painless otherwise.

Consolidating loads with live or dead creatures is an opportunity to get an entire load load stopped due to one pallet or box's incorrect paperwork. Simple things like our dog (well actually he is quite smart but....) as a dog with a French passport, he is waved through after an identify check. With his UK passport - he needs a live animal importation check - typically £200 for your 'helpful' local vet.

There is still a huge market in France for seafood - the trick is to do enough research to ensure that the obvious pitfalls can be avoided. Good connections might make it possible, but one stopped shipment will kill the business - so it has to be fool proof in terms of paperwork - that is where the removal company has devoted the effort - and contracting that will never work! Best of luck.

HocusPocus

1,561 posts

117 months

Saturday 27th August 2022
quotequote all
Unless your family can clean up our seas so that the water environment is certified, then don't waste your breath. As others have said the paperwork is a nightmare post Brexit. Welcome to the new world where politicians chose to retake control and delivered third country status.

rdjohn

6,747 posts

211 months

Sunday 28th August 2022
quotequote all
Ds1490 said:
rdjohn said:
I suspect that to try and get round the many obstacles would be so time consuming it could kill the business.

I would think that finding a French wholesaler who is already importing Scottish Salmon etc and already knows how to do the paperwork and has a more sympathetic welcome from their Douanes as well as an established customer base, is probably an easier way to go.

Learn their procedures and go it alone at some future time when EU relations have become less tense.

https://www.europages.co.uk/companies/france/fish%...
Do you mean sell directly to a wholesaler? That’s pretty much what she wants to do.. forgive me if I’m being stupid and reading it wrong, the beer is very strong here
Yes, she knows how to produce a good product. She needs to work with a firm that is currently active in moving fish to France and distributing it to end users.

I doubt that will be simple. We do not have a Free trade Agreement, its an EU restrictive practices memorandum of understanding. Having said that French people will want her product.

dirky dirk

3,293 posts

186 months

Monday 29th August 2022
quotequote all
Swerve it

You’re asking for a a world of pain
I’m speaking from experience
I’ve sent everything you can imagine everywhere
We sent our chillers and freezer back it wasn’t worth it.

We even tried farming it out to a specialist freight forwarder in lhr.
They were ok but not worth the hassle

vdn

9,151 posts

219 months

Wednesday 31st August 2022
quotequote all
Tell her not to bother.