| Fizah HAB |
HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam consented to visit Golden Corporation Sdn Bhd, an integrated seafood company in Tutong yesterday.
His Majesty was greeted upon arrival by Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong along with Golden Corporation Sdn Bhd CEO, Desmond Lim and Managing Director, Richard Chuang at the Golden Corporation processing plant in Kampong Serambangun, Tutong.
His Majesty viewed a slideshow on Golden Corporation’s establishment and achievements before touring of the facility. His Majesty concluded his visit by taking part in a group photo session with the company’s managing officers and staff members.
Golden Corporation Sdn Bhd is a foreign direct investment (FDI) company that has established its headquarters and operations in Brunei Darussalam. The company started off in 2002 with a hatchery for shrimp and fish fry – the result of a collaboration with the Government of Brunei Darussalam – before expanding into developing shrimp farms, fishmeal and feed mill plants, and later establishing the first integrated seafood processing plant in Brunei Darussalam in 2012.
With over B$50 million invested to develop the seafood industry in Brunei Darussalam, Golden Corporation employs over 200 local employees and owns three shrimp farms in the Tutong District and has three processing plants in both the Tutong and Brunei-Muara districts.
Explaining a little about the company’s operations and plans, Desmond Lim said, “Brunei Darussalam is one of two countries that has successfully cultivated blue shrimp (rostris), and with the completion of the Penyatang Farm sometime this year, Brunei is set to be the largest blue shrimp producer in the world.”
Richard Chuang, meanwhile, shared that the company is now an international brand, having already expanded into China, Taiwan and Australia markets.
“We now have the permit and certificate to export into the European Union (EU) as well. The company is also aiming to increase production. We are targetting to double this year’s annual production to 1,800 tonnes [of shrimp] and increase collaboration with local shrimp farms – in the form of knowledge sharing and providing fish and shrimp feed – as well as local companies such as Marimin Sdn Bhd and Brunei Halal Sdn Bhd where we provide raw materials to their products including the newly released blue shrimp crackers and surimi, a form of fish meat which they process into fish food products such as fish balls and canned fish meals,” Chuang said.
Touching on the company’s expansion plans, Lim shared: “Golden Corporation aims to expand in the near future into the seafood industry, including the newly created fish processing department where we process freshly caught tuna from Zone 3 and 4 of Brunei waters into fish products such as tuna sashimi and processing products including canned cat food and much more. We are also looking to collaborate with local companies to expand into the food industries including creating food products such as canned meals and shrimp patties.
“Golden Corporation is deeply rooted in Brunei because most of our operations are carried out in Brunei, from the parent shrimp farms and the hatcheries, to the processing plant. We hope to collaborate in the near future with the government and local companies to further grow the seafood industry here in Brunei Darussalam,” the Golden Corporation CEO further commented.
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