I&j
Children in Cape Town

Find out about I&J (Irvin & Johnson) fish, beef and chicken products. Prepare snacks and treats for children with our kids centre. Read the latest news on fish species and responsible fishing and health and wellness. Discover recipes and ideas for healthy, balanced and nutritious meals. Join the I&J customer club to win great prizes and keep up with company information.

Whether it’s a favourite like I&J Fish Fingers for kids, or a wonderful new fish dish to surprise your guests for dinner, there’ll be something tasty from I&J that you can serve to please everyone. Innovation and quality are hallmarks of I&J products, catering for changing tastes and needs. I&J offers customers a variety of the finest fish quality products. Choose from Cape Hake, plain, coated & crumbed, steamed & sauced or other fish species products. Ideal as a versatile snack when entertaining family and friends. We capture the natural goodness of Cape Hake by catching it responsibly, deep at sea and then flash-freezing our catch to keep the power and purity of this natural source of protein, as fresh and as good as it can be. In 1897, the arrival in Table Bay of South Africa’s first trawler, Pieter Faure, aroused great interest. It also trawled the beds and brought in so many soles that they were sold for 'a penny a pair' at the market. On his return to England, George delivered his detailed report to his father who was so impressed that he immediately commissioned the construction of three trawlers for use at the Cape of Good Hope, and registered a new company, the African Fishing & Trading Company Ltd. Star of the South and Star of Peace, two fine new trawlers built in North Shields for the African Fishing & Trading Company, arrived at the Cape Town docks just before Christmas in Trawling had finally become a real industry in South Africa. A few months later, Carl Johnson reassigned the Berea to fish in Durban’s waters. With Charles Johnson’s knowledge of fishing conditions and George Irvin’s technical and financial resources, their collaboration soon became a partnership. In the mid-1920, Irvin & Johnson began experimenting with wireless communications technology. With the declaration of war in September 1939 a large portion of Irvin & Johnson’s fishing fleet was co-opted to help the war effort: five days before hostilities began, the South African Naval Forces commandeered the steam trawler, and in October, two further trawlers were requisitioned as minesweepers. These factories increased their intake from five tons in 1956 to 100 tons in 1961, and at the time they were considered the largest and most impressively equipped plants in the South African frozen foods industry. In Cape Town, the Diep River Factory was modernized and converted to produce frozen peas, beans, broccoli and mixed vegetables. The modernisation of trawl gear, navigation equipment and also fish preservation techniques had changed the face of the South African fishing industry, but its future was seriously threatened by the arrival of the foreign fleets. The experiment was so successful that in 1997, I&J began the commercial farming of abalone at Danger Point and today exports a variety of abalone products around the world. I&J also sponsors a number of environmental educational programmes instilling in our youth the vital importance of protecting our rich ocean resources and respecting biodiversity to ensure a sustainable legacy for the future. I&J changed its fishing practices to reduce accidental seabird deaths and raise awareness of the threats facing seabirds. In 2004, I&J and other fishing companies in the deep sea trawling industry were recognised for their responsible management of inshore and deep sea hake resources with accreditation from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an independent global charity that uses a product label to reward environmentally responsible fishery management and practices. The ring-fencing initiative is a voluntary undertaking on the part of the South African fishing industry to only trawl on currently used grounds, prevent damage to lightly trawled areas, and to preserve natural refuges for hake. Over the years, the original logo has been adapted and modernised. I&J’s sponsorship of uShaka Marine World is about fostering, love, respect and understanding of our oceans and inspiring support for their future well-being.