Trident Seafoods Corp., Seattle, said it agreed to purchase the assets ofIcicle Seafoods'surimi analog business in Bellingham, Wash. Officials said the transaction is scheduled to close August 16, 2010. Other terms were not disclosed. Icicle Seafoods also is headquartered in Seattle.
Trident officials said deal supports a plan to expand retail presence.
Said Executive Vice President Joe Bundrant, "Trident has worked hard to grow our value added business and expand our production capacity and our markets for value added seafood. Surimi seafood is quick and easy to prepare and is a natural extension of our 'Source-to-the-Plate' philosophy. Today's consumers want to know where their fish is coming from, and adding value to the fish we catch is the best way to fill that demand."
Added Dennis Guhlke Icicle Seafoods president and CEO, "This transaction provides Icicle Seafoods with fair value for a non-core operation and will allow Icicle to redeploy the proceeds to grow our core business. I want to thank the employees of the Bellingham plant, whose contributions over the years are very much appreciated."
Trident Seafoods said it entered the surimi seafood business in 1999 when it purchased the SEA LEGS facility from Nicherei Foods of North America. In 2006, Trident expanded its surimi business into the retail sector and industrial business with the purchase of ConAgra's surimi business. The Louis Kemp brand, along with Captain Jac and other well known regional brands, and a Motley, Minn., processing facility were part of the purchase.
Trident said it is North America's largest seafood company and serves consumers through all distribution channels. The company harvests, processes and markets a wide range of products, including pollock, salmon, crab, halibut, and cod from sustainable fisheries in the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific waters off the coasts of Washington and Oregon.
