Photo courtesy of Index Partners

According to a statement on September 17, the acquisition secures direct, fully traceable access to certified Meretrix clam supply and processing capacity in Vietnam, complementing Congalsa's Galician manufacturing base and its position in Southern European retail and food service channels. The deal is advised by Index Partners, an independent corporate finance advisory firm.

Congalsa is a Spanish manufacturer of frozen and precooked seafood-based products supplying retail, food service, and industrial customers under private label and its own brands.

The group operates several production facilities with a combined capacity of around 26,000 tonnes per year and more than 50,000 m³ of cold storage, and distributes across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

Lenger Seafoods Vietnam is one of Vietnam's leading exporters of Meretrix clams, recognised for premium quality, supply consistency, and 100 per cent traceability. Operating since 2012 from a 5ha facility in northern Vietnam, the company serves over 50 business-to-business customers across more than 10 export markets, primarily retail chains in Spain, Italy, and Portugal. It was a subsidiary of The Lenger Seafoods Group B.V., a Dutch family-owned shellfish group with roots dating to 1925 and around 350 employees worldwide.

Global clam imports reached approximately $888 million for around 268,000 tonnes in 2023, with East Asia and Southern Europe together accounting for roughly 73 per cent of import value.

Spain is the largest single importer globally, at approximately $197 million in 2023, and EU’s consumption has remained stable at approximately 70,000 domestic European production has fallen to around 30,000 tonnes.

As the world's second-largest clam exporter, Vietnam is well positioned to serve this structural deficit, supported by preferential access under the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.