China Becomes Mustad's Second-Largest Market — and the Norwegian Hook Giant Treats It as a Home Market

China has become the second-largest market in the world for Mustad — behind only the United States — and the 192-year-old Norwegian hook maker believes it has room to keep growing, according to CEO Arild Aakre.

Speaking to Angling International, Aakre said sales in China have been growing faster than in the US, which itself continues to expand despite the trade war. The company’s confidence in the market is rooted in more than two decades of manufacturing on the ground.

“We have had a factory in China for more than 20 years, so we look at the region as a home market,” said Aakre. “We have a stable workforce who have been trained by people from our first factory in Norway. I strongly believe business is local, and the results delivered by our strong and dedicated team is a good example of that.”

Quality Rising in the Sportfishing Segment

While much of the Chinese hook market remains price-driven, Mustad sees a clear upgrade happening in the sportfishing segment — a shift that mirrors the broader evolution of China’s tackle industry from pure volume manufacturing toward brand and quality competition.

“Although part of the market in China is dominated by low-priced product, we still see great potential to grow there, not least in the sportfishing segment where we do see an increased focus on quality,” Aakre said.

“Hooks are often a small part of the total spend for an angler, and we have seen an increased focus on quality despite the growth in the number of hook factories in the world — not least the quality programme in our factory which is highly appreciated in the OEM market. It is still hard to copy 192 years of experience in producing hooks.”

Aakre also highlighted what makes the Chinese market unique: a large freshwater fishing sector, a deep OEM culture, and a level of mainstream media attention to angling that he says is unmatched anywhere else. “I don’t think you can go to any other country where you find a fishing competition on television all the time.”

Tariff Playbook: Warehouse in the Dominican Republic

The trade war has affected every one of Mustad’s markets in one way or another, Aakre said — Europe most of all, even if indirectly.

“Overall, tariffs create uncertainty for both consumers and our customers, which makes people hold back a bit,” he said.

Mustad’s response has been structural: a warehouse in the Dominican Republic serving the US market, giving the company the ability to react quickly to tariff changes. “When tariffs are reduced we can reduce our prices and have inventory available to ship. Our customers have seen we have had products available while some of our competitors have been in a tougher spot with longer lead times.”

The company still expects to grow this year despite the headwinds. “We want to continue our growth journey, but things are taking a little longer. However, we are growing this year despite all the challenges with tariffs and are happy, all things considered,” Aakre said.

What It Signals for China’s Tackle Industry

For Chinese manufacturers, the Mustad story carries two useful readouts.

First, it confirms that China’s domestic sportfishing market has become too large for global brands to ignore — and that quality-focused domestic demand is the fastest-growing layer of it. Second, it shows the tariff playbook that works: regional warehousing and inventory flexibility beat simple price adjustment when trade policy swings.

Mustad sells directly in more than 122 countries. “There is no secret that the US is important for us, but big or small, we see all our markets as the same. Serving the world with hooks is what we have done over the last century, and we will continue to do that,” Aakre said.

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