Juneau-based Sealaska, an Alaska Native Corporation owned by 23,000 Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian shareholders, has announced that it is acquiring equity in two leading Icelandic seafood companies. Meanwhile, it is selling Seattle, Washington-headquartered Orca Bay Seafoods, which was acquired in 2017 when the Seattle, Washington-headquartered company merged with Odyssey Foods. The buyer is Phil Crean, who is taking the frozen fish processing and marketing business back under sole ownership.
Sealaska’s investment in Iceland’s IceMar and AG Seafood builds on the acquisition of New England Seafood (NESI) in October 2020, to further strengthen its focus on consumer-centric, premium, chilled fish and seafood. The move grows its capacity to provide globally integrated, world-class processing and food from the world’s best-managed fisheries.
“We’re in seafood because it’s a powerful way to care for the oceans,” said Sealaska COO Terry Downes. “Ocean-based foods have a fraction of the carbon footprint of land-based proteins. And the rapid growth of the chilled category proves it is a key path to consumers’ tables.”
IceMar, established in 2003 by majority owner Gunnar Orlygsson, is a sales and marketing business that sells premium seafood from Iceland all over the world. AG Seafood was established in 2008 by Orlygsson and majority owner Arthur Galvez as a highly efficient processor of cod, haddock, and various species of flatfish. The two companies will continue to be run by Orlygsson and Galvez, respectively. Led by CEO Dan Aherne, NESI will play an active role in the development of the businesses.
“We’re thrilled to turn NESI’s nearly 20-year relationship with these two companies into a more formal partnership,” Aherne said. “Iceland has a rich heritage as a fishing and fish-processing nation with some of the best products anywhere. We are eager to help bring more of them to the rest of the world.”
Orlygsson said the partnership is an exciting opportunity for the Icelandic companies to strengthen their services and access new markets in Europe and North America.
