New England Seafood

What New England Seafood does

New England Seafood International Limited (NESI) is a UK-based seafood processor and supplier founded in 1991 by Fred Stroyan, headquartered in Chessington, Surrey, and operating three manufacturing bases across Chessington, Grimsby, and Paignton. The company supplies fresh and frozen fish and seafood to UK supermarkets, retailers, restaurants, hotels, and wholesalers, handling 16 species with a workforce of 566 colleagues from 41 nationalities and serving approximately 80 customers across the UK and Northern Europe. Its core technology is a patented superfrozen tuna defrost process pioneered in 2009 that eliminated reliance on air freight and reduced the carbon footprint of the supply chain.

NESI generates revenue through three channels: (1) Retail Private Label manufacturing under UK leading retailers' brands, described as the heart of the business model and reliant on long-standing partnerships; (2) NESI Consumer Brands — Leap (launched 2017) and Fish Said Fred (launched 2020) — which sell branded products through retail with accompanying marketing campaigns including TV commercials, outdoor advertising, and chef partnerships; and (3) a Foodservice channel supplying hotels, restaurants and catering operators nationwide and into Northern Europe, alongside the joii sushi joint venture (launched 2012 in partnership with 'Fish is Life' in Paris) for raw sashimi-grade tuna. The company holds MSC and ASC certifications, has been named MSC Retail Supplier of the Year three times and ASC Retail Supplier of the Year in 2023, and maintains partnerships with the Marine Stewardship Council, Aquaculture Stewardship Council, Seafood Ethics Action Alliance, and Food Network for Ethical Trade.

In December 2020, NESI was acquired by Sealaska, a for-profit Alaska Native Corporation established in 1972 under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and owned by 26,000 Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian shareholders. Sealaska subsequently established Woocheen in 2021 as a consolidated ocean health platform. Under this ownership, NESI completed 2022 minority investments in Icelandic suppliers Icemar and AG Seafoods and a collaboration with Norwegian partner Normarine, executed its largest-ever business transformation in 2023 (doubling Grimsby manufacturing footprint and adding 140 jobs), and acquired Blue Sea in August 2024 to re-enter the shellfish category with the UK's leading crab product range.

Name

New England Seafood

Legal name

New England Seafood International Limited

Website

https://neseafood.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

New England Seafood (NESI) supplies fresh and frozen fish and seafood to UK supermarkets, retailers, restaurants, and wholesalers through retail private label manufacturing, branded consumer products (Leap, Fish Said Fred, Blue Sea), and a foodservice channel, operating three UK manufacturing bases.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seafood Processing and Distribution

NAICS

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (3117), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (311710), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing (AFAKACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Frozen Seafood Meals & Value-Added Seafood (CRADADAG), Frozen Prepared Meat & Seafood Meals (AFANAFAC), Ready-to-Eat Seafood (Cooked Shrimp, Crab, Lobster, Surimi) (AFANALAC), Shellfish Value-Added Products (Shucked Oysters, Mussels, Clams; Cooked/Marinated) (AFANALAK), Frozen Meat, Poultry & Seafood Wholesale (AFAIAHAF)

Keywords

• Seafood processing
• Retail private label
• Foodservice distribution
• Sustainable seafood sourcing
• Frozen fish supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Chessington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Private Label Manufacturing: Manufacturing products under UK leading retailers' brands. Long-standing partnerships with major UK retailers to deliver branded products for retail customers.
2. NESI Consumer Brands: Leap and Fish Said Fred brands sold through retail channels to inspire consumers to eat more fish at home.
3. Foodservice Supply: Supplying hotels, restaurants, and foodservice operators with premium seafood products nationwide and into Northern Europe.
4. Joint Venture - joii sushi: Joint venture food service enterprise dedicated to catering to discerning raw ready-to-eat markets in UK and Northern Europe, launched 2012.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

New England Seafood International (NESI) manufactures and supplies fresh and frozen fish and seafood products across three channels: retail private label manufacturing for UK leading retailers, NESI-owned consumer brands (Leap and Fish Said Fred), and foodservice supply to hotels, restaurants, and catering operators across the UK and Northern Europe. The company handles 16 species across three UK manufacturing bases in Chessington, Grimsby, and Paignton, and serves approximately 80 customers in retail and foodservice markets.

Product overview

New England Seafood International (NESI) operates as a purpose-led seafood company with a 'Plate to Sea' model covering every stage from sourcing to consumer. The company sells through three channels: Retail Private Label (manufacturing products under UK retailers' brands), NESI Brands (Leap and Fish Said Fred consumer brands), and Foodservice Channel. NESI has three manufacturing bases in Chessington, Grimsby, and Paignton, with additional brand portfolio including Blue Sea (crab products acquired 2024) and joii sushi (joint venture for sashimi-grade tuna).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leap: Brand celebrating sustainable wild-caught fish as nature's bounty - lean, nutritious and free swimming. Launched 2017.
• Fish Said Fred
• joii sushi

Products and services

• Leap Consumer brand celebrating sustainable wild-caught fish as nature's bounty - lean, nutritious and free swimming. Positioned to inspire more people to eat fish through retail products and marketing campaigns.
• Fish Said Fred Consumer brand launched in 2020 to inspire people to enjoy delicious fish dishes at home every week, offering recipes and product inspiration.
• joii sushi Joint venture with Fish is Life in Paris, dedicated to catering to the raw sashimi-grade tuna market for raw ready-to-eat markets in UK and Northern Europe.
• Blue Sea UK's leading provider of high quality crab products including whole crab, crab meats, and easy to prepare dishes, crafted in the UK's largest crab kitchen. Acquired in August 2024.
• Retail Private Label Manufacturing Manufacturing products under UK leading retailers' brands, delivering products for retail customers as the core channel of NESI's business model.
• Foodservice Channel Supply Supplying hotels and restaurants with fish products, with nationwide reach extending into Northern Europe, continuing founder Fred's legacy of supplying London's leading establishments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced carbon footprint through superfrozen tuna technology
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Blue SeacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Acquired Blue Sea in August 2024, the UK's leading provider of high quality crab products. Since 2004, Blue Sea has offered an extensive range of products including whole crab, various crab meats and easy to prepare dishes, expertly crafted in the UK's largest crab kitchen. Fits well with heritage in complex wild sourced fish and shellfish species.
• IcemarcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Invested in Icemar in 2022 to cement long-term supplier relationships in Iceland. Investment enhances access to, and knowledge of, primary markets for several species including cod and haddock.
• AG SeafoodscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Invested in AG Seafoods in 2022 to cement long-term supplier relationships in Iceland. Investment enhances access to, and knowledge of, primary markets for several species.
• NormarinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Collaboration with Normarine in Norway ensures access to highest quality sustainable fish at competitive market prices. Partnership enhances primary market access and knowledge.
• joii sushicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Joint venture food service enterprise launched in 2012 with 'Fish is Life' in Paris, dedicated to catering to discerning raw sashimi-grade ready-to-eat markets in UK and Northern Europe.
• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)coreOthersMSC certification and partnership. NESI has made long-term commitment to championing sustainability, instrumental in driving MSC programme growth in UK. NESI has invested in building trust and awareness in the MSC programme within its supply base and used expertise to support several fisheries on their journey to MSC certification.
• Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)coreOthersASC certification holder demonstrating commitment to aquaculture sustainability standards. NESI received ASC retail supplier of the year award in 2023.
• Seafood Ethics Action AllianceminorOthersWorking with Seafood Ethics Action Alliance to drive change in the industry and ensure ethical practices in seafood supply chains.
• Food Network for Ethical TrademinorOthersPartnership with Food Network for Ethical Trade to affect real change in the industry and ensure decent working conditions.
• WoocheenflagshipOthersWoocheen is Sealaska's global ocean health platform established in 2021 to consolidate various enterprises under a common vision to restore wilderness, health, and balance to the planet's oceans and ecosystems by 2050 through sustainable seafood and geosciences. Group Seafood CEO Dan Aherne is aligned with Woocheen.
• UK Seafood FederationcoreOthersDan Aherne, CEO of Woocheen Group incorporating New England Seafood, serves as responsible lead for the Federation. The Federation has pledged support for UK Government initiatives to transform public sector food procurement toward sustainable seafood.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Young's Seafood: One of the UK's largest branded and private-label seafood producers, supplying major retailers and foodservice. Direct overlap with NESI in whitefish and prepared seafood across UK grocery private label and foodservice channels.
• Princes Group: UK-based food and drink group with significant seafood (tuna, salmon) processing and branded/private-label supply to UK and European retailers and foodservice. Highly comparable to NESI on channel mix and customer base.
• Birds Eye (Iglo Group): Major UK frozen seafood (fish fingers, frozen fillets) brand and private-label producer owned by Nomad Foods. Overlaps with NESI on frozen prepared seafood sold through UK grocery and competes for the same retailer shelf and consumer meal occasions.
• Saupiquet (Thai Union subsidiary): European canned and prepared seafood brand (sardines, tuna, mackerel) supplying French and broader EU retail private label. Comparable on European retail private label supply for value-added seafood and brand heritage.

Broad incumbents

• Thai Union Group: Global seafood conglomerate (John West, Chicken of the Sea, King Oscar) with deep tuna and shelf-stable seafood exposure. Larger incumbent with overlapping private-label seafood supply to European retailers and foodservice.
• Mowi ASA: World's largest Atlantic salmon farmer and major processed seafood supplier with UK/European retail and foodservice presence. Comparable seafood value-chain scale and customer overlap, though more focused on farmed salmon.
• Clearwater Seafoods: North American shellfish and frozen seafood processor supplying retail and foodservice globally. Comparable on wild-caught shellfish preparation, B2B/retail channels, and sustainability-certified product portfolio.

Regional players

• Norwegian Seafood Export Council-affiliated processors (e.g., Insula / Oceanfood): Norwegian whitefish (cod, haddock) processors serving Northern European retail/foodservice with private-label supply. Directly comparable on species, geography (Northern Europe), and customer base to NESI's cod/haddock volume.

Emerging players

• Pacific Seafood Group: Large US West Coast vertically integrated seafood harvester and processor (crab, whitefish, shellfish) with retail and foodservice supply. Comparable in species basket (crab via Blue Sea overlap), vertical integration strategy, and channel mix.

Others

• Woocheen sister enterprises (e.g., other Sealaska seafood/geoscience units): Sealaska's broader Woocheen platform unites NESI with related ocean-health and seafood/geoscience enterprises under one corporate parent. These sibling entities share capital, governance, and ESG mandate but are not commercial competitors; included for ecosystem completeness.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/new-england-seafood

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New England Seafood