General Santos City, the Philippines’ Tuna Capital due to its hosting of the six of the country’s seven tuna canning plants and dozens more of its processing plant is now expanding beyond that distinction beginning Tuesday, August 2, 2011.

Why?

Because on that day, the country’s first salmon-production plant and Asia’s newest and most modern salmon and seafood processing and smoking facility in Asia, carrying the name BIG GLORY BAY SALMON AND SEAFOOD COMPANY, INC. will be inaugurated at Barangay Tambler!

BIG GLORY BAY Salmon and Seafood Company, Inc. is a joint venture of Alliance Select Foods International, Inc. (one of the Philippines’ leading canned tuna manufacturers formerly known as Alliance Tuna Inc.) and Prime Foods New Zealand Ltd. The facility is located inside the Alliance Select Foods International tuna canning plant.

READ: New Zealand-Philippines Joint Venture in expansion mode

It will be producing smoked salmon from New Zealand and Norway, at a capacity of 600 metric tons per year!  These then will be exported all over the world.

Expected to grace the inauguration of this multi-million investment in the city on August 2, 2011, are ASFII President and CEO Jonathan Dee, PFNZL Managing Director Henry Studholme; together with General Santos City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Andrew Matheson and LandBank President and CEO Gilda Pico.

With this development, we can now surely say that, Yes, Virginia, there is more in GenSan beyond Tuna!  And hopefully,  the generals may claim another title for the City by the Bay – that of the emerging “SALMON CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES”!