What Mark Foods does

Mark Foods is a privately held B2B seafood curator, processor, and distributor headquartered in New York (1115 Broadway). Founded in 2002 by Barry Markman, the company sources premium wild-caught and farm-raised seafood across more than 30 countries spanning all continents, then distributes it to foodservice operators (chefs, restaurant chains), national and regional retailers, and independent seafood distributors across North America, with a regional sales presence in Singapore for APAC business development. Its underlying asset base includes company-owned domestic processing facilities via Openwater Seafood in Orlando, FL (28,000 sq ft, 75,000 lbs/day, 180 employees) and, pending the close of its Bristol Seafood acquisition, a 60,000 sq ft, 100,000 lbs/day Portland, ME facility, supplemented by joint-venture processing in Indonesia and partnerships in Chile. The technology stack centers on cold-chain management, HACCP-based and GFSI-certified food safety systems, and end-to-end traceability from vessel or farm through processing, storage, and distribution.

The company monetizes through four primary streams: (1) B2B seafood distribution to foodservice and retail on a transaction basis, (2) private label processing that handles sourcing, processing, and packing for retail and foodservice partners, (3) value-added products (miso-marinated Chilean Sea Bass, Essential Crab Blend, fish burgers, scallop sauces) sold to foodservice and retail, and (4) specialty/managed services programs offering tailored inventory management and menu development for enterprise customers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is provided by quote based on volume, species, format, and specifications. Distribution is executed via direct enterprise sales, a network of independent seafood distributors, and a multi-brand architecture that includes Bristol, Atlantic Treasure, Pacific Treasure, Arista, Texas Bay, Wilder, Openwater Seafood, and 44 North of Maine.

The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales: Mark Foods targets large foodservice operators, restaurant chains, and national retailers through direct account relationships, industry events (Seafood Expo Global, North America, and Asia), and a curated portfolio carrying third-party sustainability certifications (MSC, ASC, BAP, RFM) and HACCP/GFSI compliance to meet retailer sourcing requirements. The Bristol Seafood acquisition, announced July 14, 2025 and expected to close in August 2025, will add North Atlantic species (scallops, cod, haddock) and processing capacity while bringing Bristol's President & CEO Peter Handy into the Mark Foods COO role, signaling a shift toward more institutionalized operational leadership as the company scales.

Name

Mark Foods

Legal name

Mark Foods, LLC

Website

https://markfoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mark Foods is a privately held B2B seafood curator, processor, and distributor that sources premium wild-caught and farm-raised seafood from 30+ countries and supplies foodservice operators, retailers, and distributors across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Seafood Processing & Distribution

NAICS

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (3117)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092)

akta.pro primary industry

Refrigerated Meat & Seafood (Processed/Packaged) (CRADACAK)

Keywords

• Premium seafood distribution
• Wild-caught seafood sourcing
• Seafood processing services
• Private label seafood
• B2B seafood supplier

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B Seafood Distribution: Mark Foods distributes premium, responsibly sourced seafood to foodservice operators (chefs, restaurant chains), retailers, and seafood distributors across North America.
2. Private Label Processing: Custom private label programs for branded seafood, handling sourcing, processing, and packing for retail and foodservice partners.
3. Value-Added Products: Ready-to-cook and prepared seafood products including miso-marinated fish, crab blends, and fish burgers sold to foodservice and retail.
4. Specialty Programs: Tailored inventory management, menu development support, and custom seafood programs for enterprise customers including national retailers and restaurant chains.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Mark Foods is a B2B distributor and processor of premium, responsibly sourced seafood, sourcing wild-caught and farm-raised species globally and delivering them through company-owned processing facilities in Orlando and Portland to foodservice operators, retailers, and distributors. The company offers full cold chain control, end-to-end traceability, custom processing, private label, specialty programs, and value-added products across a curated portfolio of seafood species and proprietary sub-brands.

Product overview

Mark Foods is a leading global curator of premium, responsibly sourced seafood offering a comprehensive portfolio of finfish, shellfish, shrimp, lobster, and salmon products. The company's product portfolio includes proprietary sub-brands (Bristol, Atlantic Treasure, Pacific Treasure, Arista, Texas Bay, Wilder) alongside partner brands (Merimar, Big Glory Bay, Skull Island, Glacier 51). Core product categories span Chilean Sea Bass, Cod varieties (Atlantic, Pacific), Crab (Blue Swimming, Chilean Centollon/Santolla), Halibut, Hamachi, Langoustine, Lobster (North Atlantic, Spiny), Mahi Mahi, Mussels, Octopus, Orange Roughy, Sablefish, Salmon (Norwegian, Sockeye, King), Scallops (Hokkaido, North Atlantic, Peruvian Bay), Shrimp (Arista, Argentine Red, Campeche, Gulf, Farm-Raised Imported, Mexican West Coast, Rock, Skull Island Tiger, Spanish Carabineros), Swai, and Yellowfin Tuna. The company operates company-owned processing facilities (Openwater Seafood in Orlando, Bristol Seafood in Portland, Indonesia facility) and provides complementary services including global sourcing, supply chain logistics, custom processing, specialty programs, private labeling, and value-added product development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arista: Premium responsibly farm-raised vannamei shrimp from Vietnam, processed using Ikejime method
• Bristol Seafood
• Atlantic Treasure
• Pacific Treasure
• Texas Bay
• Wilder
• Openwater Seafood
• 44 North of Maine

Products and services

• Sablefish (Black Cod) MSC-certified Alaskan Sablefish harvested from Alaska's pristine waters, celebrated for its ultra-rich flavor, velvety buttery texture, and high omega-3 content.
• Orange Roughy Deepwater fish from New Zealand and Australia, prized for firm white flesh, mild flavor, and culinary versatility across baking, sautéing, frying, steaming, and poaching.
• Spanish Carabineros Wild-caught deep-water shrimp from Southern Spain, prized in Michelin-starred kitchens for bright red shell, jumbo size, and rich umami flavor.
• Rock Shrimp Wild-caught shrimp from deep waters off Florida and Gulf with lobster-like texture and briny sweetness, suitable for grilling, frying, and oven roasting.
• West Coast Mexican Shrimp Premium wild-caught shrimp from Pacific and Sea of Cortez waters, harvested by an artisanal day-boat fleet with exceptional snap, rich flavor, and sustainable small-batch quality.
• Skull Island Tiger Prawns MSC-certified wild-caught giant tiger prawns from Australia's Gulf of Carpentaria, known for bold size, striking dark stripes, and sweet clean flavor.
• Domestic Wild Gulf Shrimp 100% wild-caught shrimp from U.S. Gulf and Atlantic coasts available in white, brown, and pink varieties, known for clean sweet flavor and firm texture.
• Campeche Shrimp Wild-caught shrimp from Mexico's southern Gulf of Mexico and Campeche fishery, delivering delicate sweetness, clean flavor, and tender texture as a staple of regional Mexican cuisine.
• Argentine Red Shrimp Wild-caught shrimp from South Atlantic waters off Argentina with exceptional natural sweetness and firm, lobster-like texture, naturally vibrant red in color.
• Arista Shrimp Premium responsibly farm-raised Vannamei shrimp from Vietnam processed using the Ikejime method for superior taste, sweet flavor, and clean bite.
• Pasteurized Blue Swimming Crab (Wilder) Premium pasteurized blue swimming crab from Southeast Asia, hand-picked and canned for rich flavor, ideal texture, and virtually shell-free consistency.
• Centollon and Santolla Crab Chilean snow crab and king crab from Southern Ocean waters, offering mild Centollon Snow Crab meat and succulent Santolla King Crab for premium dining applications.
• Salmon (Various) Comprehensive salmon portfolio including Norwegian Atlantic Salmon, New Zealand King Salmon, and Sockeye Salmon, serving fine dining to retail channels.
• Scallops (Various) Complete scallop portfolio including Hokkaido, North Atlantic Sea, and Peruvian Bay varieties for foodservice and retail applications.
• Lobster (Various) Lobster offerings including North Atlantic Lobster and Spiny Lobster varieties sourced globally for fine dining and retail.
• Farm-Raised Imported Shrimp Vannamei White Shrimp and Black Tiger Shrimp sourced from Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and Ecuador with BAP 2 Star minimum and ASC-certified options.
• Yellowfin Tuna Premium grade wild-caught Yellowfin Tuna from Indonesia, Vietnam, and Costa Rica available as loins, steaks, saku blocks, and poke cubes for raw and cooked applications.
• New Zealand Mussels Greenshell Mussels from New Zealand's pristine coastal waters, prized for distinctive green shells, meaty texture, mildly sweet flavor, and omega-3 richness.
• Spanish Octopus Wild-caught octopus from Morocco and Mauritania FAO 34 and 27 waters, renowned for tender texture and subtly sweet, clean flavor for global cuisines.
• Hamachi (Amberjack) Premium farm-raised Yellowtail from Japanese coastal waters, celebrated for rich buttery flavor, high fat content, and velvety texture for sushi and sashimi.
• Atlantic Halibut Premium Atlantic Halibut from Norway and Canada, wild-caught using longline methods with mild, buttery flavor and dense, flaky texture.
• Atlantic Cod Longline-caught Atlantic Cod from North Atlantic waters, MSC-certified with mild flavor, large flake, and brilliant white flesh, frozen at sea for peak freshness.
• Chilean Sea Bass Wild-caught Chilean Sea Bass from Southern Oceans, MSC-certified and sustainably managed, known for rich, buttery flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture; Mark Foods is the largest U.S. supplier and processor of MSC-certified Chilean Sea Bass.
• Bristol (Sub-brand) Portland, Maine-based brand famous for traceable, responsibly harvested seafood specializing in premium North Atlantic species like scallops, cod, and haddock.
• Atlantic Treasure (Sub-brand) Brand sourcing Caribbean and Canadian lobster tails, Atlantic salmon, Spanish octopus, and chemical-free shrimp for chefs and retailers.
• Pacific Treasure (Sub-brand) Brand delivering premium farm-raised vannamei shrimp, wild-caught yellowfin tuna, and mahi mahi to foodservice and retail.
• Arista (Sub-brand) Premium white shrimp brand using Ikejime processing method for superior taste, harvested from seawater exchange farms in Vietnam.
• Texas Bay (Sub-brand) Over 50-year-old brand offering premium wild-caught gulf shrimp with unparalleled flavor and quality.
• Wilder (Sub-brand) Brand guaranteeing quality seafood from ship to shore, connecting world-class chefs and retailers with premium products including blue swimming crab and octopus.
• Sourcing Services Global sourcing from world-class fisheries and aquaculture operations ensuring year-round availability of premium seafood traceable to source.
• Supply Chain & Logistics End-to-end supply chain management with national cold storage footprint and meticulous import logistics from vessel to port to cold storage.
• Processing Services Company-owned and joint-venture processing facilities in Orlando, Portland, and Indonesia providing custom portions, special pack sizes, and rapid turnaround capabilities.
• Specialty Programs Tailored programs for retailers, restaurant chains, and distributors including inventory management and menu development support.
• Private Labeling Private label programs bringing branded seafood to market with speed, consistency, and confidence through sourcing, processing, and packing services.
• Value-Added Products Ready-to-cook products including miso-marinated Chilean Sea Bass, Essential Crab Blend, and fish burgers for streamlined prep in professional and home kitchens.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sea Port Products: A premium imported seafood distributor focused on frozen, fresh, and value-added wild-caught and farmed species for U.S. foodservice and retail. Direct competitor in the premium niche that Mark Foods targets, with similar sustainability certifications and species breadth.
• Ocean Beauty Seafoods: Alaska-based seafood processor and distributor with owned cold storage and a portfolio of wild-caught species sold to U.S. retailers and foodservice. Closely comparable to Mark Foods in scale, premium species curation, and direct B2B distribution model.
• Pacific Seafood: One of the largest vertically integrated seafood companies in North America, operating owned processing, distribution, and branded retail products. Highly comparable as a privately held U.S. processor-distributor serving both foodservice and retail with a similar premium/spec-driven orientation.
• Fortune Fish & Gourmet: U.S. specialty seafood and gourmet foods distributor serving restaurants, retailers, and foodservice operators with a curated premium portfolio. Comparable in customer base (chefs, retail), premium positioning, and reliance on specialty-vs-commodity assortment.

Broad incumbents

• Trident Seafoods: Major U.S. seafood processor and brand owner with owned harvesting, processing, and broad distribution across foodservice and retail channels. A larger incumbent offering overlapping capabilities (frozen, value-added, branded) but with a much wider and more commodity-leaning portfolio than Mark Foods' premium curation focus.
• Maruha Nichiro: Japanese global seafood conglomerate with deep presence across fisheries, processing, and distribution including North America. Larger incumbent that intersects Mark Foods on species portfolio and global reach but operates a vastly broader business.
• Highliner Foods: Canadian publicly traded seafood CPG and foodservice supplier with branded and private-label products across North America. A larger, broader incumbent whose overlapping foodservice business makes it a reasonable comparator even though its center of gravity is CPG retail rather than specialty premium.
• Thai Union Group: One of the world's largest seafood companies (Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee, John West) with global sourcing, processing, and branded CPG distribution. A massive global incumbent that overlaps on sourcing and processing scale but is structurally different in being consumer-brand-led rather than B2B specialty.

Regional players

• Mazzetta Company: U.S. premium seafood importer and distributor serving retail and foodservice with a curated wild-caught portfolio. Comparable in B2B specialty distribution orientation but smaller and more regionally focused than the multi-facility Mark Foods operation.
• Samherji: Icelandic seafood company operating wild-caught processing, value-added production, and global sales. Comparable in species portfolio (cod, haddock, scallops) and premium foodservice focus, but Europe-rooted rather than U.S.-anchored.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/markfoodsnyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Mark Foods