Awabi (Abalone), Live/Frozen & Steamed Premium

Ezo-awabi / Kuro-awabi (あわび) · Japan (Sanriku/Iwate Ezo-awabi, Chiba, Kyushu) — wild & cultured abalone
Meat & Seafood Other Fish Frozen Growing export

Japanese abalone (awabi) is a top-tier banquet luxury especially coveted in Chinese-influenced markets, sold live, frozen or steam-cooked. Sanriku Ezo-awabi and southern kuro-awabi are graded by size and provenance. It is a high-value, low-volume export to luxury Asian dining. Shipped chilled (live) or frozen.

The supplierCoastal harvesters and processors of wild/cultured abalone; banquet-luxury positioning.
Why it sells abroadBanquet-luxury Japanese abalone; CITES-free Japanese species; provenance-graded

Buyer's brief ✓ SOURCES VERIFIED

CertificationsHACCP (confirmed: mandatory in Japan). Mollusc sanitary monitoring & size/harvest compliance: abalone harvest is regulated (size limits, seasons, anti-poaching controls) (confirmed regulatory context). Sanriku/Iwate (Ezo-awabi), Chiba and Kyushu are recognized abalone sources (confirmed). No producer-specific cert verified. Note: abalone (gastropod) export to some markets faces CITES/anti-poaching scrutiny - check destination.
Pack formatsLive (chilled oxygenated), frozen whole, vacuum-steamed; small packs.
Shelf lifeFrozen ~12 months; steamed retort longer; live days only.
StorageLive: chilled oxygenated transport. Frozen: -18C or below. Retort steamed: ambient/chilled per pack.
Minimum orderTypical: small (high value)
Lead timeTypical: 2-4 weeks (live = air-freight, fast)
CapacityTypical: very limited
Container loadTypical: air/LCL for premium
PricingTypical: $80-300/kg by size/grade
OEM / private labelLimited.
Wholesale & MOQLive chilled, frozen, or vacuum-steamed; MOQ small (high value)
Key exporters & distributorsSanriku/Kyushu seafood traders, luxury seafood exporters
Export regulationHACCP; molluscs sanitary controls; CITES note — some abalone species listed but Japanese Haliotis spp. are NOT CITES-listed; size-limit/harvest regulations apply. HS 0307 (live/frozen) / 1605 (prepared/steamed).
Market demandStrong luxury-banquet demand in HK/SG/TW/Macau
How to source itSanriku/Iwate, Chiba & Kyushu abalone harvesters/processors -> luxury seafood exporter -> Asian importer.
Verified sourceshttps://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies (HACCP mandatory; abalone harvest regulation)
MakerIwate/Sanriku, Chiba & Kyushu abalone harvesters & processors
OriginJapan (Sanriku/Iwate Ezo-awabi, Chiba, Kyushu) — wild & cultured abalone
CategoryMeat & Seafood / Other Fish
Available inHK, SG, TW +2 more
HandlingFrozen
Price tierPremium
ChannelFoodservice
Export readinessGrowing export
HS code0307 / 1605
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Profile maintained by Japonity (japonity.com), May 2026. General sourcing information only — confirm current availability, pricing, MOQ and the destination market's import rules with the maker or exporter before contracting. Japonity is not affiliated with this brand.