Smoked & Salted Salmon / Toba & Sake-toba (Hokkaido)

Sake-toba / Smoked Salmon (鮭とば) — Hokkaido · Hokkaido — autumn chum salmon dried into toba or cold/hot-smoked
Meat & Seafood Dried Seafood Chilled Growing export

Sake-toba is Hokkaido's wind-dried, salt-cured chum salmon snack, while smoked salmon (cold and hot) is a broader processed line; both turn seasonal salmon into shelf-stable, high-value products. They are exported as Japanese-style cured/smoked salmon distinct from Norwegian smoked salmon, valued for the toba chew and Japanese smoking craft. Shipped chilled/ambient (toba) or chilled (smoked).

The supplierHokkaido smokehouses/coops converting chum salmon into toba and smoked products; snack & deli positioning.
Why it sells abroadJapanese-style cured/smoked salmon; distinctive sake-toba chew; Hokkaido craft

Buyer's brief ✓ SOURCES VERIFIED

CertificationsHACCP (confirmed: mandatory in Japan). Listeria control for smoked products: standard requirement for cold/hot-smoked salmon (confirmed relevant). EU-approved establishment for EU-bound: framework, not verified per processor. Hokkaido autumn chum salmon (aki-zake) is the recognized source for sake-toba (confirmed). No producer-specific cert verified.
Pack formatsToba snack bags; sliced smoked salmon vacuum packs; cartons.
Shelf lifeToba (dried) ~6-12 months; smoked salmon chilled ~30-60 days.
StorageToba: ambient cool/dry or chilled. Smoked salmon: chilled 0-4C or frozen -18C.
Minimum orderTypical: by carton (5-10 kg)
Lead timeTypical: 2-4 weeks
CapacityTypical: mid-volume seasonal
Container loadTypical: LCL/part-reefer
PricingTypical: toba $20-40/kg; smoked salmon $18-35/kg
OEM / private labelYes (cut/cure/pack to spec).
Wholesale & MOQToba ambient/chilled, smoked salmon chilled vacuum; MOQ by carton
Key exporters & distributorsHokkaido salmon processors/exporters, seafood traders
Export regulationHACCP; smoked-fish needs listeria control & cold chain; salt/additive labeling; EU approved-establishment for EU-bound. HS 0305 (smoked/dried/salted fish).
Market demandGrowing snack & deli demand in US/Asia/AU
How to source itHokkaido salmon processors (coastal coops & smokehouses) -> seafood exporter -> overseas importer.
Verified sourceshttps://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies (HACCP mandatory)
MakerHokkaido salmon processors (e.g. coastal coops & smokehouses)
OriginHokkaido — autumn chum salmon dried into toba or cold/hot-smoked
CategoryMeat & Seafood / Dried Seafood
Available inUS, HK, SG +2 more
HandlingChilled
Price tierPremium
ChannelSpecialty
Export readinessGrowing export
HS code0305
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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.