Hokkai’s story
Our dream is for people to eat fish on a daily basis. That is why our fish dishes are quickly and easily prepared at home. And more importantly, they are incredibly delicious and contribute to a healthy diet.
History
Hokkai Suisan opened its doors in 1993. Prior to this, company owner Marinus Noordenbos lived in Japan for one year, where he worked at a fish processing company. This company in Numazu is specialized in horse mackerel, a species that is caught in the North Sea and exported to Japan in huge amounts. Hokkai Suisan began with the production and delivery of horse mackerel to private Japanese customers in the Netherlands. Today, the company delivers more than 60 traditionally prepared Japanese fish products to more than 8000 families in Europe and the UK. But our customers are no longer only Japanese people. This day and age, more people have come to appreciate the wonderful flavors of the Japanese cuisine.
Mission
Every day at Hokkai, we work hard for a world in which everyone can enjoy the wonderful flavors of the Japanese cuisine. We are on a mission to make both authentic and contemporary Japanese fish dishes of high quality available to as many people as possible. At home in your own kitchen or, for those in living in The Netherlands, at our restaurant Hokkai Kitchen in IJmuiden. Good food is to be enjoyed, whether you are eating with your family and friends or by yourself. Yet, we do not always feel like, or have the time and inspiration to cook a tasty and healthy meal. Hokkai can change that for you. Our fish dishes are quickly and easily prepared at home. But more importantly, they are incredibly delicious and contribute to a healthy diet.
A word from the owner…
A food culture is something in which you can take pride. It is a reflection of your origin. It makes you think of your childhood and specific dishes spark specific memories. We do not have to travel far to find cultures that speak proudly of their national cuisine. Take for example Italy or Spain, where you can really feel that food is almost thought of as an art form. I got my passion for food a bit further from home. At the age of 18, I was lucky enough to go to Japan. This was a truly an amazing experience, as I spend 6 days a week, 15 hours a day producing food. And that in its purest form, namely, piles of fish, half frozen, hard, cold and with sharp spines. Moreover, I could totally focus on myself as I was not able to communicate with anyone for the first six months. (Not so much because they did not want to, but they simply did not understand a word of English). In the beginning, I wondered how one could develop such a passion for a product like the one that went through my hands all day: horse mackerel. Yet, it did happen: the smell, the color, the fat content, the texture, the form, and eventually…. after a long working day, the taste. Fish is so multifaceted and horse mackerel might be the most refined one of all. I welcome you to try our traditional ‘Aji no hiraki’, to see for yourself.
Core values
Quality
At Hokkai, it’s all about quality. We shockfreeze our fish products very fresh and fast, so that the ice crystals do not damage the fish cells. This preserves the flavors completely and that you can taste in every bite. In addition, our people are constantly looking for the best quality in which they never make any concessions.
Convenience
Easy does it. That is why our fish dishes are quickly and easily prepared at home. Apart from our products, we provide simple step-by-step recipes, which enables anyone to prepare the most delicious and beautiful Japanese meals in his own kitchen.
Authentic
The Japanese cuisine consists of so much more than just sushi. Fish is just as delicious grilled, baked, fried, marinated or salted. We prepare our products in the traditional Japanese way using the best ingredients for every type of fish. Almost all products are processed and flavored in our own factory, based on the recipes of our chefs. This way, we are able to deliver the perfect taste experience to your front door.
Accessible
Our dream is for people to eat fish on a daily basis. This is why we would like to make our Japanese fish dishes available for everyone. With our simple online ordering service and professional drivers, we have already realized this for more than 26 years for our Japanese customers throughout the Netherlands and Europe.