Alvarez y Alvarez: Pioneering salmon processing in Chilean Patagonia

For Chilean salmon processing company Alvarez y Alvarez, innovative technology and infrastructure have been key in their growth and success. Founded in 2008 by brothers Eloy and Orlando Alvarez Navarro Oyarzun, the company has grown from a modest 600 m² processing plant into a modern 5,500 m² facility equipped with advanced Marel solutions. We had the opportunity to speak with Rodrigo Torres Oyarzun, Process Manager at Alvarez y Alvarez, who shared insights into the company’s journey with Marel, highlighting their recent investment in a MS 2750 filleting machine.

From crustaceans and shellfish to salmon processing in the Patagonian fjords

Alvarez y Alvarez’s facilities are located in Puerto Natales, a southern coastal city in the Magallanes Region of Chilean Patagonia. Although this region offers excellent conditions for salmon farming, it has not traditionally been common there. When Alvarez y Alvarez was founded, its focus was on seafood such as sea urchins and king crabs, before they pivoted to specializing in salmon processing in 2015. Today, they produce 3,000 tons of whole fish equivalent (WFE) per month. Fillets make up the majority of their product range, alongside whole salmon and portions.

Alvarez y Alvarez takes pride in their innovative spirit and passion for technology, qualities that have helped the company achieve outstanding efficiency and product quality for their customers worldwide. They serve clients across the USA, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including those in the wholesale market, restaurant chains and retail outlets.

Pioneering in partnership with Marel

Alvarez y Alvarez first turned to Marel when they transitioned to specialized salmon processing and needed to transform their facilities. With Marel solutions, the company expanded to serve salmon farmers in the Magallanes region who did not have their own plants to process raw materials. As Torres Oyarzun explains, “The Magallanes region before 2013 was characterized by being a non-salmon farming area, so there is a shortage of specialized direct labor. In this regard, Marel has solutions to automate processes that would normally require a large amount of specialized personnel.”

Today, Alvarez y Alvarez’s processing lines include a wide range of Marel equipment, from raw material reception and gutting to filleting, portioning and grading, all the way to packaging. These processes are controlled and streamlined with Marel’s advanced food processing software.

This technology has fueled growth for Alvarez y Alvarez and facilitated the introduction of value-added processing in 2022, and by January 2023, they had fully automated their processes with the latest Marel technology. This has increased productivity across all stages of production by up to 35%, significantly surpassing Alvarez y Alvarez’s expectations. Moreover, they have become the first processing plant in Magallanes adapted to process in pre-rigor mortis conditions for whole products and value-added products.

Enhancing salmon filleting with the first MS 2750 in Chile

To further enhance their production capabilities, Alvarez y Alvarez recently invested in the MS 2750, Marel’s newest and most advanced salmon filleting machine. This decision was driven by the need to increase filleting capacity, and Alvarez y Alvarez reports that the MS 2750 has increased their throughput from 12 to 20 fish per minute. Indeed, the MS 2750 has the potential to process up to 25 fish per minute without operator input.

The filleting machine also offers the ability to work with multiple sizes, simultaneously processing salmon ranging from 2.7 to 6.5 kg at Alvarez y Alvarez, with the ability to process fish from 1.5 to 10 kg.  This means that the Alvarez y Alvarez fillet line can now generate up to six different products simultaneously, with the help of a multi-caliber Marel grader. These products include fresh and frozen fillets and skinless portions (IVP), E-trim fillets and sashimi. Torres Oyarzun explains, “For all these reasons, the MS 2750 is a perfect fit for our value-added production needs.”

The need for a compact solution was also a deciding factor. Torres Oyarzun says, “We have been monitoring machines that can process salmon in pre-rigor mortis conditions on fillet lines. We also needed the machine to be as compact as possible, and the MS 2750’s length saves 60% of the space used by the automatic filleting and trimming machines currently used in the industry. This challenge, along with the trust Marel has provided throughout this automation process, led us to choose the MS 2750, which is the first of its kind in Chile.”

With the support of Marel’s advanced technologies, Alvarez y Alvarez is well positioned for continued growth and innovation, ensuring their place at the forefront of delivering premium salmon products to a global market.

To learn more about how Marel’s salmon processing solutions can drive success in your business, visit our product pages or contact us below.