Sea Urchin Roe (Uni) Supplier: Chilled Trays and Frozen Packs by Season

Product overview

Uni is the gonad of the sea urchin, sold as tongue-shaped lobes laid in neat rows on a small wooden or plastic tray. Presentation and timing matter as much as origin with this product: the roe softens and loses definition within days, so the format a buyer chooses, whether fresh tray, frozen or pasteurized, should follow from how quickly it will be served.

Supply follows the harvest seasons of several regions, for example Japan (several native species), Chile (Loxechinus albus), the Pacific coast of North America (red sea urchin, Mesocentrotus franciscanus), the North Atlantic coasts of Canada, the United States and Norway (green sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis). Species and harvest area are named on each offer, and because seasons differ, one origin often covers a gap left by another during the year.

Grades are set by color (from pale yellow to deep orange, uniform across a tray), firmness, lobe integrity and size, and by the absence of weeping or melting. Chilled trays travel by air at around 0⁠–⁠4 °C with a usable life measured in days from packing. Frozen and pasteurized formats last much longer but soften the texture slightly, which suits sushi production, sauces and pasta better than top-grade nigiri. Some packers use alum or a seawater brine to help lobes hold their shape; any such treatment is declared so it can be labeled correctly.

Restaurants and premium seafood distributors usually set up weekly or twice-weekly arrivals so that stock never sits. Uni pairs naturally with caviar and premium roe on raw bar menus, while the restaurant and retail sourcing guide covers matching grade to dish.