Northcoast Seafoods, a company of similar age as Seafood Connection, is a specialized player on the retail market. With innovative sustainable products it fits perfectly in Seafood Connection’s vision going forward.
This means that both companies can complement each other in their respectful markets. And with the sourcing power of Seafood Connection’s parent company Maruha Nichiro, both companies hope to grow Northcoast’s ambitions on the UK market.
This M&A granted a long-kept wish of Seafood Connection: being present through locally knowledgeable companies and people in all of Europe’s largest seafood markets. And with Seafood Connection’s proven track record on the (retail) market in Europe, Northcoast Seafoods has the potential to create an even stronger position on the UK seafood market. We are excited for the growing potential this strategic partnership will bring.
Seafood Connection CEO Jan Kaptijn commented: “I am glad to finally have a great partner to make the jump across the North Sea and be more active in the UK market. Of course, our presence doesn’t mean that we’re going to change the company. The same management will stay because I believe they are very able. Adrian Crookes has a long history with Northcoast Seafoods and has taken an important role in Northcoast Seafoods acquisition as well as in the restructuring of the company in the past 3 years. He will lead the company over the coming years as Managing Director together with Commercial Director Christopher Baird, who is a key long-time employee who has an important role in the wholesale and retail business development and diversification at Northcoast Seafoods. Fridrik Mar Thorsteinsson will step down as Managing Director and continue to contribute to the company as Advisor & Procurement Director.”
Takeyuki Nakazawa, Seafood Connection’s COO, supervised the acquisition and acted as liaison between Maruha Nichiro, Seafood Connection and Northcoast Seafoods: “Ever since I met the first time with the management of Northcoast Seafoods, I came to the conclusion that Northcoast Seafoods speaks the same language as Seafood Connection and Maruha Nichiro. We are definitely on the same page and share the same business philosophy. Their individual local uniqueness in a big market such as the UK’s made the company very appealing to Maruha Nichiro and Seafood Connection. Their size and influence made it a perfect partner for our all-round geographical expansion strategy into other parts of Europe. I have high hopes for Northcoast Seafoods and am delighted to be able to invite the company into our family, and myself become a colleague at Northcoast Seafoods as Liaison and Compliance Manager.”
The management team at Northcoast Seafoods are pleased and very excited to be part of Seafood Connection and Maruha Nichiro, Fridrik Thorsteinsson commented that he is proud and happy to join the largest seafood business in the world and is confident that this new relationship will strengthen the UK business.
Chris Baird said: “I am delighted that Seafood Connection and Northcoast Seafoods will be working together in the future. The synergies between the two businesses will undoubtedly strengthen our position in the Seafood sector, which Northcoast has grown significantly over the last 20 years, with the support of its suppliers and customers”.
Adrian Crookes mentioned that it was clear throughout the process that the culture of Seafood Connection will be a perfect fit for Northcoast Seafoods and that he was looking forward to working closely with the new owners and maximising the benefits from bringing the two businesses together.
