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.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports sustained their upward trajectory in August 2026, though the pace remained modest at just 2%. The month saw divergent trends across key markets: the US maintained its leading position, Japan and Canada improved, Russia surged and the EU continued to experience a steep downturn. These developments suggest that exporters are entering the final months of the year amid a market environment marked by greater uncertainty.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Congalsa has acquired the entire charter capital of Lenger Seafood Vietnam, giving it full ownership of the business and its Nam Dinh processing facility.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ninh Binh Province is entering a peak period of action against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, focusing on thoroughly addressing violations, closely monitoring fishing vessels at ports and preventing vessels from violating regulations and operating illegally in foreign waters ahead of the European Commission’s (EC) upcoming inspection in 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) The application of biotechnology in seed production is increasingly viewed as a strategic imperative to upgrade pangasius fingerling quality, optimize farming efficiency and anchor sustainable industry development.
(vasep.com.vn) On September 15, 2026, in Can Tho, VASEP and ASC jointly organized a training course titled “New ASC standards: updates and practical implementation guidance for farms, businesses and aquafeed mills”. Beyond briefing stakeholders on updated ASC requirements for aquaculture facilities and feed production, the workshop dedicated substantial floor time to directly addressing on-the-ground compliance bottlenecks encountered by Vietnamese enterprises.
(searfood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports continued to post positive results in the first eight months of 2026, with total export value reaching US$90 million, up 43% year-on-year. However, exports in August alone stood at US$11 million, down 8%, reflecting uneven market developments. Brazil remained the leading market, while Japan recorded notable growth, opening up new opportunities for Vietnamese tilapia products.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.3 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 12% year on year. However, growth has begun to slow and become more differentiated across markets, while the U.S. and EU continue to present significant challenges. The latest insights from the Global Shrimp Forum 2026 (GSF 2026), held in early September, also indicate that the final months of the year will remain highly competitive as global supply continues to expand and buyers increasingly focus on quality, product specifications, supply stability and the ability to meet market-specific demand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In August 2026, Vietnam’s seafood exports reached $1.14 billion, up 6% year on year. Cumulative eight-month exports rose 11.8% to $8.00 billion, though momentum has cooled compared to the 12.8% growth seen through July. China - Hong Kong and ASEAN are offsetting weakness in the U.S, EU and partly Japan. This divergence will likely widen in Q4 as trade tariffs and traceability requirements directly weigh on new orders.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam–Russia relations are entering a new phase of cooperation, with a focus on expanding trade, investment and economic connectivity. Against this backdrop, tuna is emerging as one of the seafood products with significant growth potential in the Russian market. Export data for the first seven months of 2026 show strong growth in Vietnamese tuna exports to Russia. However, turning this momentum into sustainable market share will require businesses to address challenges related to logistics, payment and supply competition.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese tilapia is moving into a higher-value segment as brackish-water farmed fish from the Mekong Delta is now being processed for sashimi and exported regularly to Japan.
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