Once Illex squid are caught and frozen at sea, they enter a global processing and distribution chain that turns them from whole raw mollusks into convenient, value-added seafood products. A hallmark of this chain is the heavy involvement of Chinese processing plants, which have become the hub for transforming Illex into the familiar forms used by restaurants and retailers worldwide. Easyfish is deeply integrated in this process, operating with partner facilities in China to ensure quality and efficiency. Let’s walk through the typical flow within the value chain: how it’s cleaned, packed and exported:

Freezing at Sea (Primary Processing)

Nearly all Illex are initially frozen whole (whole-round) on the fishing vessel shortly after capture. Jigging vessels often have onboard freezers (blast freezers or plate freezers) that can freeze the squid to -20°C within hours. The squid are usually frozen in blocks (e.g. 20kg blocks) or individually (IQF) depending on vessel setup. At this stage, they are unprocessed – meaning heads, viscera, skin, etc., are intact – just as pulled from the ocean. Freezing quickly is critical to lock in freshness, as squid autolyze and can develop ammonia quickly if held too long in ambient temperature.

Shipment of Frozen Whole Squid

These frozen blocks of whole squid are then transported to processing plants. Some portion is offloaded in Argentina – there are land-based processors in Argentina that do clean and re-freeze squid, though most of Argentina’s catch is exported in unprocessed frozen form due to cost factors. The primary destination for raw frozen Illex is China. In 2024, for example, China was the top destination for Argentine squid exports, accounting for 31% of exports (by volume). South Korea and Singapore were also key importers of raw squid (17% and 13% respectively) – though note, Singapore likely acts as a trans-shipment or processing hub as well. These raw imports are destined for processing factories in Asia where labor and expertise allow economical cleaning and value addition.

Processing (mainly in China)

In Chinese coastal provinces – particularly Zhoushan, Shandong (e.g. Rongcheng, Shidao) and Fujian – numerous seafood factories specialize in cephalopod processing. When the frozen Illex blocks arrive, they undergo a thorough cleaning and preparation process. A typical process flow is: the whole squid are thawed, then the heads, tentacles, skin, internal cartilage (“pen”), eyes, and viscera are removed. Essentially, the body (mantle) is eviscerated and skinned, yielding a cleaned squid tube, and the tentacles are set aside as a separate product. The squid may also be “peeled” to remove the outer skin pigment, unless the product spec calls for keeping a thin membrane (most Western markets prefer fully cleaned white squid).

After cleaning, the squid meat is tenderized and graded. Tenderization might involve mechanical action (light scoring or pinning) or soaking in a mild tenderizer solution; this step helps ensure the squid is not tough, especially for larger sizes. The product is then sorted by size (grading). Typical product forms produced from Illex include:

  • Squid Tubes (Mantles): These are the hollow cylindrical bodies after cleaning. Often produced IQF (individually quick frozen) or in smaller blocks. Sizes are usually categorized by mantle length or weight. Common grading: small tubes (~3–5 inch length), medium tubes (~5–8 inch), and large tubes (>8 inch). For instance, a spec might call for “3-5 inch tubes, fully cleaned” which corresponds to roughly 7–12 cm mantles. Another way is count per weight (e.g. U5 = under 5 pieces per pound for large tubes, U10 for smaller, etc.). We saw reference to U10 and U5 tubes in market pricing – e.g. U10 tubes had nearly 39% y/y price increase, indicating how sizes factor into trade. Large tubes (U5, U7) are premium as they yield big calamari steaks or rings.

  • Squid Tentacles: After head removal, the edible portion is usually the set of tentacles (sometimes wing meat is also collected, though Illex fins are small). Tentacles are often exported separately or included in combo packs. They can be IQF or block frozen. Some markets, like East Asia, favor tentacles in dishes; others use them for fried calamari mix.

  • Tubes & Tentacles (T+T) Combo: A popular format in foodservice is a block (e.g. 5 lb or 10 lb) of mixed cleaned tubes and tentacles. For example, one product might be a 2.5 lb block of fully cleaned tubes & tentacles with approximate piece counts (say 20-30 pieces of tubes + matching tentacles). This gives restaurants both parts for frying (rings from the tubes, plus tentacles as a plate variety). Easyfish often produces T+T blocks – which are blast frozen into uniform bricks that are easy to store and thaw.

  • Calamari Rings: Some processors further slice the tubes into rings (cross-sectional slices), typically 0.5–1 cm thick rings. These might be packed IQF or in blocks. Rings are particularly popular in retail packs and breaded calamari products. Chinese plants often make blanched rings (par-cooked for easier breading later) or raw rings. The size grade for rings correlates to tube size – e.g. rings from 3–5 inch squid are smaller (good for appetizer portions), whereas rings from large tubes are wide. One spec mentioned “Squid Illex rings 3-6 cm FOB China” seeing price increases in 2024.

  • Blocks and IQF formats: Illex can be packed in IQF (individually frozen pieces), often preferred by retail and some foodservice for ease of portioning. Or block frozen (e.g. 10×1 kg blocks in a 10 kg master carton) which is common for bulk foodservice. For example, Fortune Imports lists a product as “Block frozen, fully cleaned Tubes and Tentacles 3-5, 5-8” with pack 10×2.5 lb – meaning 2.5 lb trays of each size category in a case.

Once processed, the cleaned squid products are glazed (a thin protective ice coating, often ~5-10% of weight) to prevent dehydration and freezer burn. Good manufacturers keep glaze to a reasonable percentage – just enough to protect quality.

Finally, products are packed and labeled according to market. Chinese plants pack under their own brand or under importers’ private labels. For instance, Easyfish can pack with Easyfish branding or client-specified branding, including all required compliance labels (lot codes, country of origin, etc.).

Export to Markets

After processing, the squid products depart China (or other processing country) and head to consumer markets: EU, USA, Japan, Korea, Middle East, etc. At this point, the “Product of” labeling can be tricky – technically, the country of origin remains where the squid was caught (Argentina/Falklands) because cleaning doesn’t transform it enough to change origin (confirmed by customs rulings that cleaning and freezing in China does not change the origin for marking). However, many end buyers will see “Processed in China from Argentine squid” on documentation.

China’s Role

It’s worth emphasizing how central China is in this flow. China imported over 142,000 MT of Illex just from Argentina (and likely more via direct high-seas transship). It then re-exported a large portion as value-added product. Chinese processors have decades of experience with squid, as evidenced by companies in Zhoushan or Shidao advertising 8+ years in Illex processing with branches right at ports to secure freshest raw material. This ecosystem is why Easyfish bases its squid processing there – the combination of skilled labor, capacity for large volumes, and cost-effectiveness.

One key offering Easyfish brings is the ability to mix container loads to suit customer needs. Many large buyers don’t want an entire 40-foot container of one squid SKU. Because Easyfish processes a range of seafood (and multiple squid forms) under one roof in China, it can consolidate different products – e.g. part of a container Illex squid tubes, part Loligo squid, part shrimp – or even mix different Illex product types (say, half the pallets are 1 kg retail bags of rings, and half are 10 kg blocks of T+T for foodservice). This mixed-container service is a huge value-add for importers and foodservice distributors, as it allows them to optimize inventory and cash flow. Instead of buying 20 tons of one item and possibly overstocking, they get a curated assortment in one shipment. Easyfish uses advanced order planning and cold storage in China to assemble these combos efficiently.

Processing Yields and Considerations

It should be noted that yield from whole squid to finished product is roughly 50-60%. For every 1 ton of whole squid, you might get ~0.5–0.6 ton of cleaned tube and tentacle product (rest is waste: heads, guts, etc.). Some of that waste (like heads/guts) is turned into fishmeal in China; skin may be processed further or discarded. The cartilage pens and beaks are waste. Processors strive to maximize yield by careful cleaning (e.g., not cutting too much of the mantle off with the head, and keeping tentacles as a saleable item).

Quality control in processing

The cleaning process can introduce water (from thawing and washing). Good processors will manage soak time to avoid excessive water uptake, unless moisture additives are intentionally used (reputable suppliers avoid illegal chemicals; only food-grade approved treatments like salt or approved tenderizers in small amounts might be used). After re-freeze, storage at -20°C or below is maintained to keep the product in top condition until shipment.

By the time the product reaches the buyer, it is usually in frozen packs ready to use – just thaw, cook (batter and fry, grill, etc.), and serve. The entire journey from sea to table can be months long, but with proper freezing and handling, Illex squid retains great quality. For example, a squid caught in March 2024, processed in April, and kept frozen can still be a delicious calamari on a restaurant plate in December 2024, if handled correctly.

If you’re ready to source high-quality frozen illex squid or want a custom quote, visit our illex squid product page to get started today. You can also check out our full guide on illex squid sourcing and market dynamics.

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