What HitraMat does

Hitramat AS is a privately held Norwegian seafood company headquartered in Ansnes, Hitra, and operates Europe's most advanced brown crab processing facility at Hitra Fiskerihavn on Kuøya, opened in 2002. The company processes approximately 4,000 tonnes of brown crab (taskekrabbe) annually, equivalent to roughly 70% of Norway's total catch, and markets it under the premium Hitrakrabbe brand, which is positioned as a terroir product akin to Champagne and recognized in France as the 'crème de la crème of Norwegian shellfish'. The product portfolio includes live, whole cooked, claw, hand-shucked shell, and hand-picked meat variants, alongside complementary shellfish (langoustine, scallops, king crab, and snow crab) sourced through subsidiaries Seashell (Frøya) and CapeFish (Honningsvåg), with processing waste converted to fish-feed meal by co-located partner Nutrishell in a near-zero-waste circular model.

The company sells through dedicated Key Account Managers covering both the Norwegian domestic market — via direct relationships with the three largest grocery chains (Rema 1000, Norgesgruppen, Coop) — and export channels, with approximately 60% of volume shipped to France, the UK, Spain, and Asia. Pricing is set annually through minimum-price negotiations with Norges Råfisklag and supplemented by Hitramat's volume-based bonus tiers for fishermen. The company is FSSC 22000 certified, with full catch-to-product traceability. Raw material is sourced from approximately 130 coastal fishermen via receiving stations spanning Østfold to Finnmark, processed by a core workforce of 51–100 employees that scales to 170 during the June–November peak season.

Hitramat is family-owned by the Fjeldvær and Witsø families together with employees, sits within the Conchilia AS holding group, and generated approximately NOK 250 million in annual revenue. Following Anton Fjeldvær's retirement in spring 2025 after 47 years of leadership, Kjetil Bjerkestrand (previously HR Manager at parent Conchilia) serves as CEO as of January 2024. Brand investment is centered on the krabbe.no recipe platform and social media presence, launched in 2016 with over 3 million first-year impressions.

Name

HitraMat

Legal name

Hitramat AS

Website

https://hitramat.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hitramat AS is Europe's largest brown crab processor, handling ~70% of Norway's catch (~4,000 tonnes annually) at its advanced Hitra Fiskerihavn facility, exporting ~60% of premium Hitrakrabbe to France, the UK, Spain, and Asia and supplying Norway's three largest grocery chains.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seafood Processing

NAICS

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092)

akta.pro primary industry

Shellfish Processing (Shrimp, Crab, Lobster, Mollusks) (AFANADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shellfish Wholesale (Crustaceans & Mollusks) (AFAIADAF), Frozen Seafood Meals & Value-Added Seafood (CRADADAG)

Keywords

• Brown crab processing
• Shellfish products
• Norwegian seafood supply
• Wild-caught shellfish
• Crab meat products

Headquarters

HQ city

Ansnes

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Crab Product Sales (Fresh, Frozen, Processed): Revenue from processing and selling brown crab (taskekrabbe/Hitrakrabbe) in various forms including live crab, whole cooked crab, crab claws, hand-shucked shells, and hand-picked crab meat. Also includes premium products sold to restaurants and retail.
2. Other Shellfish Sales: Sale of other shellfish including langoustine (sjøkreps) and scallops (kamskjell), sourced both directly and through subsidiaries Seashell on Frøya. Revenue generated through the same B2B and export channels.
3. King Crab and Snow Crab (via CapeFish): Revenue from king crab and snow crab sourced through ownership in CapeFish in Honningsvåg, distributed to international markets and high-end restaurants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hitramat AS processes and sells premium wild-caught Norwegian brown crab (Hitrakrabbe) and complementary shellfish (scallops and langoustine) from Europe's most advanced crab processing facility on Hitra island. The company supplies fresh, frozen, and live crab products in multiple formats — whole cooked crab, crab claws, crab in shell, and hand-picked crab meat — to Norwegian retail chains, restaurants, and export markets in France, the UK, Spain, and Asia, handling approximately 70% of all Norwegian brown crab catch.

Product overview

HitraMat is a family-owned Norwegian seafood company offering a unified portfolio of premium shellfish products centered on the Hitra Crab (Hitrakrabbe) brand. The product line includes fresh, frozen, and prepared crab products across categories: whole crabs, crab claws, crab in shell, hand-picked crab meat, along with complementary shellfish including scallops (kamskjell) and langoustine (sjøkreps). The company operates Europe’s most advanced crab processing facility, handling approximately 70% of all Norwegian brown crab, and exports around 60% of production to France, UK, Spain, and Asia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hitrakrabbe: Premium Norwegian brown crab (taskekrabbe) - the company's flagship product brand. Known as 'the Crème de la Crème of Norwegian Shellfish'. The Hitra crab is characterized by its firm, sweet, and flavorful meat from the cold, clear waters where the Gulf Stream meets the Arctic Sea around Hitra and Frøya.

Products and services

• Crab in Shell (Krabbe i skjell) Fresh brown crab available in standard shells and hand-cleaned shells, sourced from wild-caught Norwegian brown crab around Hitra. Sold to retail chains, restaurants, and export customers.
• Crab Claws (Krabbeklør) Crab claws processed from wild-caught Norwegian brown crab, offered in various sizes and sorting grades. Sold to retail, food service, and export customers.
• Whole Crab (Helkrabbe) Fully cooked whole crabs processed at Hitramat's European-leading facility on Kuøya. Sold as a premium whole-cooked product to retail and food service customers.
• Fully Cooked Crab (Helkokt krabbe) Fully cooked brown crab processed without the shell (pave removed), ready for consumption. Sold to retail and food service customers.
• Scallops (Kamskjell) Premium scallops in various sizes and sortings, sourced directly and through subsidiary Seashell on Frøya. Sold to retail, food service, and export customers.
• Langoustine (Sjøkreps) Norwegian langoustine (sjøkreps), a premium shellfish delicacy processed alongside Hitra crab. Sold to retail, food service, and star restaurants in Europe.
• Fresh Products Line (Ferske produkter) Fresh product line including fresh crab products, langoustine, and scallops delivered directly from sea to kitchen with short shelf life. Targets premium retail and food service customers.
• Frozen Products Line (Fryste produkter) Frozen crab products and other shellfish processed using superchilling (superkjøl) technology for extended distribution chains and international export.
• Crab Meat (Krabbekjøtt) Hand-picked premium crab meat in various packaging and sizes, ready for use in salads, soups, pasta dishes, and other culinary applications. Sold to retail and food service.
• Hitrakrabbe (Hitra Crab Brand) The flagship Hitra Crab (Hitrakrabbe) brand — premium Norwegian brown crab (taskekrabbe) characterised by firm, sweet, and flavorful meat from cold waters where the Gulf Stream meets the Arctic Sea around Hitra and Frøya. Positioned internationally as 'crème de la crème of Norwegian shellfish' and used in fine-dining restaurants and premium retail.
• King Crab and Snow Crab (via CapeFish) King crab and snow crab sourced through subsidiary/ownership stake CapeFish in Honningsvåg, distributed to international markets and high-end restaurants as part of Hitramat's premium shellfish portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~70% of all Norwegian brown crab (taskekrabbe) is processed by Hitramat, making it Europe's largest crab processor
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NutrishellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNutrishell is co-located with Hitramat's Kuøya processing facility. Nutrishell converts crab production waste and by-products into protein-rich meal used in fish feed, creating a circular economy model. This partnership ensures near-zero waste from crab processing.
• CapeFish (Honningsvåg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHitramat holds ownership in CapeFish in Honningsvåg, which handles snow crab and king crab sourced from northern Norway. These products are distributed alongside Hitramat's own crab products to international markets and star restaurants.
• Seashell (Frøya)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHitramat holds ownership in Seashell on Frøya, Norway's largest operator in live scallops. Seashell supplies premium scallops and langoustine (sjøkreps) to star restaurants throughout Europe, complementing Hitramat's product portfolio.
• Conchilia AS (Parent Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHitramat is part of the Conchilia AS corporate group. Conchilia contains multiple seafood-related companies, and the group works continuously on innovation and product development. Kjetil Bjerkestrand previously worked as HR Manager in Conchilia's parent organisation before becoming Hitramat CEO in January 2024.
• Norges RåfisklagcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual price negotiations between crab producers (including Hitramat) and Norges Råfisklag set minimum prices for the crab fishing season. Hitramat collaborates with Råfisklag on quality controls, including a quality patrol that conducts checks at receiving stations to enforce quality standards.
• Havforskningsinstituttet (HI) and MøreforskingminorOthersNorwegian Institute of Marine Research (HI) and Møreforsking conduct ongoing research on brown crab stocks and sustainability. Data from these institutions confirms that crab fishing rates and population sizes are stable, supporting Hitramat's sustainability claims and regulatory compliance.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• High Liner Foods: North American frozen seafood processor and marketer with a broad portfolio including shellfish and value-added seafood products. Comparable as a branded frozen seafood manufacturer serving retail and food-service channels, though more diversified across species.
• Lerøy Seafood Group: One of Norway's largest seafood groups with operations across salmon, trout, and whitefish (including shellfish). Larger and more diversified than Hitramat but operates in the same Norwegian seafood industry, comparable distribution channels, and shared exposure to Norges Råfisklag raw-material dynamics.
• Thai Union Group: Global seafood conglomerate (Chicken of the Sea, John West, King Oscar brands) producing canned tuna, frozen seafood, and shellfish. Comparable as a global seafood manufacturer with branded retail products, but much larger scale and tuna-focused rather than wild-crab specialty.
• Maruha Nichiro: Japan's largest seafood company with global operations in wild-caught and aquaculture seafood, including crab and shellfish processing. Comparable as a vertically integrated seafood major with significant export reach to Asia and Europe.
• Mowi ASA: World's largest Atlantic salmon producer and a major Norwegian-headquartered seafood company with growing value-added processing operations. Comparable as a Norwegian seafood major with vertically integrated processing, branded products, and global retail/food-service distribution.

Regional players

• Orkla ASA: Norwegian-headquartered branded consumer goods group with a seafood division (including King Oscar branded canned seafood) historically. Comparable as a Norwegian food manufacturer with grocery-channel reach (Rema 1000, Norgesgruppen, Coop) similar to Hitramat's domestic customer base.

Direct peers

• Trident Seafoods: US-based vertically integrated seafood company with a major Alaska crab and shellfish processing business (king crab, snow crab, cod). Comparable to Hitramat as a vertically integrated wild-crab processor with branded retail products and food-service supply.
• Ocean Choice International: Canadian seafood processor and marketer with significant shellfish exposure (snow crab, lobster, clams, scallops) supplying retail and food-service customers internationally. Directly comparable as a wild-caught shellfish processor with a similar species portfolio and export-heavy customer mix.
• Royal Greenland: One of the world's largest seafood processors with a portfolio spanning shellfish (cold-water prawns, crab, scallops) and whitefish. Directly comparable to Hitramat as a vertically integrated cold-water shellfish and seafood manufacturer serving European retail and food-service channels.
• Clearwater Seafoods (FNC): Canadian shellfish specialist harvesting and processing wild-caught crab (snow crab, Jonah crab), lobster, clams, and scallops for global premium markets. Closely comparable business model to Hitramat: wild-caught shellfish focus, premium positioning, multi-species portfolio, and significant export exposure.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hitramat-as

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HitraMat