Chairman: Shane Gomes
About JMJ:
JMJ Seafoods Private Limited – an off-spring of JMJ Exports, a two decades old processor and exporter of quality seafood from India with specialization in Yellow Fin Tuna & Swordfish as their primary products – JMJ has remained a major player in the industry.
20 years of commitment, 20 years of riding the tide, 20 years where every day remains a starting point.
Products are processed under the most stringent international standards across approved and certified processing facilities backed by international certifications – dealing strictly with sustainable seafood.
JMJ started with small beginnings; a small dream; a small start-up capital of rupees fifty thousand, 2 people with a big vision; and a contract factory back in 2006. Since then, JMJ has grown to become the most preferred seafood processor to all of its customers across the world; what started with a small annual turnover of a few lakhs and has now grown to 5 million USD with 130+ employees over a span of 17 years.
The team at “JMJ” is now innovating with its range of seafood by value adding and creating healthy eating, backed by one of the greatest and dedicated teams behind a dream project in seafood – A project called “Carl’s”.
From being a seafood processor to developed markets across the world in primary value addition, JMJ is now scaling operations within India on the retail space with their product brands HookCatch™ and “Blanches™; expanding the value chain by maximum utilisation of raw material; minimal waste while being sustainable and nurturing their strong customer base domestically & internationally with product diversity of over 220+ exclusive & impressive products.
Their clients:
“JMJ operates under 7 GTMs (Go to Market Strategy);”
Fresh Chilled Seafood Exports – Seafood is processed in fresh chilled form and exported to markets across Europe, U.S, Australia and other parts of the world; their customers in turn distribute the “JMJ” product across major retailers like Metro cash N Carry; Marks and Spencer, Carrefour and other major super markets world over.
Domestic Market: Large & Small format stores, Health & Fitness Gyms, online (D2C) and their own seafood retail stores under the brand “Carl’s” backed by a unique model of QSR – “The Carl’s Kitchen™”.
Small Format Stores – Products under the brand Blanches™ and HookCatch™ are available across over 100 stores in Chennai.
Large Format Stores – Products under the brand Blanches™ and HookCatch™ available across major retailers like SPAR; Food Hall & Fipola Pan India.
Health & Fitness (Gyms) – Launching early December 2022 products under the brand HookCatch™ will be sold to fitness enthusiasts with an advanced autonomous technology making customer purchase an experience.
Online (D2C) – Launching early December 2022 products under the brand Blanches™ and HookCatch™ will be sold across online platforms of Amazon; Flipkart; Dunzo and soon to be launched across Grocery partners like Big Basket and Zepto.
Carl’s Gourmet Stores – The Carl’s project is launching state-of-the-art human less autonomous stores backed by some of the most advanced technology in the world that would house over 200 + products on shelves.
The Carl’s Kitchen™ – Launching mid-October 2022 across food courts at prominent shopping malls across Chennai and Bangalore offering the widest choices of a seafood menu specially crafted from pristine Yellow Fin Tuna, Swordfish, Blue Swimming Crabs and Shrimps! Menus are an all-day craving, catering to Indian; Asian & Continental Cuisines.
What is their Uniqueness: –
JMJ stays different against what other markets and competitors do by being unique in their product offering.
In the B2B division of HookCatch™ they offer the widest and rarest seafood, staying apart from competition and supplying to over 500+ customers across India. Their strength lies in introducing new products that are not freely available across markets.
Success & Future Goals:
At Carl’s the team believes that it’s better to be unique than to be the best, cause being the best makes you No.1, being unique makes them the only one and at JMJ they prefer to stay apart from the rest.
With an aim to become a home brand of seafood in India and overseas, driven by futuristic, innovative and technology driven retail concepts that encompasses.
Challenges & Issues they faced in the COVID period:
Like most other companies JMJ was also hugely impacted by the pandemic; with export and B2B segments being the breadwinners of the company, both divisions were rendered non-operational during the Covid for over 10 months in FY 2020-21. Having over 230+ employees at that time, JMJ stands proud that they were able to support and sustain their entire employee base with no salary cuts or lay-offs amidst all lockdowns and struggles.
Their team at corporate office worked tirelessly all through the pandemic period and remotely worked on bring the Carl’s project to life, and focused all their time and energy into developing their entire range of seafood; packaging and even developing some of the finest technological advancement available to India and the world.
Technology playing the Game and the Game Changer:
Technology plays a major role in any business, 17 years back when 2 boys carrying laptops went into harbors in India to start a seafood export business, everyone mocked and laughed at them saying they cannot sustain in a seafood business with laptops. Now post 17 years, JMJ is one of the largest fresh seafood exporters out of India. This story emphasizes on the importance and need of imparting technology and technological advancements in any business.
JMJ always believed in technology and its role in business, which has been the backbone of growth at “JMJ”.
Goals for 2022:
Blanches™ & HookCatch™ their flagship brands are all set to be present across all major retailers across India,
The Carl’s Kitchen™ to be spread across India, with Chennai as the start line and the rest of India being their playground.
Carl’s is on a mission to redefine the way seafood is consumed in India and overseas. This way they ensure that the next generation consumes healthy, sustainable and nutritious rich natural protein.
A piece of advice for the younger generation – “Success is not a lottery; success does not come overnight, it’s an empire built over time with one brick placed into a wall in a consistent and steadfast manner”.
