Lusamerica

What Lusamerica does

Lusamerica is a family-owned seafood wholesale distributor founded in 1975 in Morgan Hill, California by Portuguese immigrants Ana and Fernando Frederico. The company procures, processes, and distributes more than 100 species of fresh and frozen seafood to grocery retailers, restaurants, hospitals, military installations, and corporate foodservice operators (including technology-company campuses) across the Western United States. It operates three processing facilities totaling more than 200,000 square feet in Morgan Hill CA, Fife WA, and Vernon CA, supplemented by a receiving dock at Moss Landing Harbor, which together form a regional cold-chain footprint for both commodity and premium species.

The business is built on a B2B wholesale model: revenue is generated by selling processed seafood at wholesale margins to institutional and retail buyers, with a value-added branded line (Tasty Catch) packaged in recyclable materials that allows modest participation in higher-margin branded sales. Sourcing is anchored by curated supplier partnerships — including Atlantic Sapphire for land-raised Bluehouse salmon, Riverence Provisions for domestically farmed trout and salmon, Olympic Peninsula Seafood for wild-caught shellfish, and Erewhon as a specialty retail account — and is supported by a deep certification stack (MSC, ASC, BQF, Fair Trade, SQF, HACCP) that functions as a procurement gatekeeper with sustainability-mandated buyers. Operational technology is centered on SAP integrated with Trace Register 5 for end-to-end chain-of-custody traceability and recall readiness.

The company has no institutional, private equity, or venture capital shareholders and is operated by the founding family. Leadership has been progressively professionalized with the April 2020 appointment of Louise Moretti as Chief Operating Officer, the long-tenured role of Corporate Executive Chef Sion T. Maumau (since 2006), and a dedicated Director of Sustainability function currently held by Peter Adame. The combination of multi-state processing capacity, diversified institutional customer mix, and certification depth positions Lusamerica as a mid-scale, family-controlled incumbent in West Coast seafood distribution rather than a venture-backed growth company.

Name

Lusamerica

Legal name

Lusamerica Foods, Inc.

Website

https://lusamerica.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lusamerica is a family-owned West Coast seafood wholesale distributor, founded 1975 in Morgan Hill, CA, operating three processing plants and distributing 100+ species of fresh and frozen seafood to grocery, restaurant, hospital, military, and corporate foodservice buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Seafood Distribution and Processing

NAICS

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

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092)

akta.pro primary industry

Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen) (AFAIADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Seafood Specialty & Premium Cuts (Loins, Steaks, Portions for Foodservice) (AFANALAL)

Keywords

• Wholesale seafood distribution
• Fresh frozen seafood
• Value-added seafood products
• Sustainable seafood sourcing
• Seafood processing logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Morgan Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Seafood Wholesale Distribution: Lusamerica operates as a wholesale seafood distributor selling fresh, frozen, domestic and imported seafood products to grocery retailers, foodservice operators, restaurants, and broad-line distributors across the Western United States. Revenue is generated through product sales with pricing based on species, grade, and volume. The company carries over 100 species and offers various formats from whole fish to fillets and value-added products.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lusamerica is a wholesale seafood distributor and secondary processor that distributes over 100 species of fresh, frozen, and value-added seafood products to grocery retailers, foodservice operators, restaurants, and broad-line distributors across the Western United States. The company operates three processing plants on the West Coast and a dockside operation at Moss Landing Harbor for direct sourcing from local fishing vessels, with products sold under the proprietary Tasty Catch brand.

Product overview

Lusamerica is a family-owned seafood wholesale distributor and secondary processor established in 1975, operating three strategically located processing facilities on the U.S. West Coast (Pacific Northwest near Seattle, Central Coast near Silicon Valley, and Southern California in Los Angeles) plus a dockside operation in Moss Landing Harbor. The company distributes over 100 species of fresh, frozen, and value-added seafood products to grocery retailers, foodservice operators, restaurants, and broad-line distributors across the Western United States. The product portfolio includes finfish (salmon, rockfish, black cod, halibut, sole, mahi mahi, tuna, striped bass), shellfish (crab, shrimp, scallops, calamari, clams, mussels, oysters), and specialty items (alligator, escargot, caviar). Products are sold under the Tasty Catch brand in recyclable packaging boxes. Value-added prepared foods are created by the in-house chef team including poke kits, salmon burgers, stuffed salmon, seafood kabobs, cedar plank salmon, oven-ready meal trays, and cioppino sauce. Sustainability reporting services are provided to key customers using SAP and Trace Register 5 systems. The company holds MSC, ASC, BAP, Fair Trade, SQF, HACCP, and FDA certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tasty Catch®: The brand under which Lusamerica sells its wide range of West Coast and imported seafood products, including the recyclable Tasty Catch® box packaging.

Products and services

• Tasty Catch Brand Seafood Portfolio The proprietary brand and packaging identity under which Lusamerica distributes its West Coast and imported seafood products, including the recyclable Tasty Catch box that eliminates non-recyclable materials like heavily waxed cardboard and Styrofoam. Sold to licensed wholesale business customers.
• Whole Dungeness Crab Succulent, sweet local West Coast Dungeness crab available fresh or frozen for wholesale foodservice and retail customers.
• Atlantic Salmon
• Year-Round Premium Kings (Creative Kings and Ora King Salmon)
• Pacific Oysters
• Pacific Cod
• Black Cod (Sablefish)
• West Coast Rock Cod (Rockfish)
• Dover Sole
• Chilean Sea Bass
• Sea Scallops
• Calamari
• Bacon-Wrapped Scallop Medallions
• USA Catfish
• Seaweed Salad (Wakame)
• USA Rainbow Trout
• Steelhead Trout
• PEI Mussels
• Mahi Mahi
• Grenadier
• Petrale Sole
• Pacifico Striped Bass
• Poke Kits
• Salmon Burgers
• Stuffed Salmon
• Seafood Kabobs
• Cedar Plank Salmon
• Ceviche
• Oven-Ready Meal Trays
• Specialty Items (Alligator, Escargot, Caviar)
• Atlantic Salmon Stuffed with Crab and Lobster
• Seafood Medley: Salmon, Rockfish, Calamari and Mussels
• Seafood Medley: Calamari, Clams, Mussels, and More
• Tasty Catch Cioppino Sauce
• Atlantic Salmon with Garlic-Herb Butter and Asparagus
• Bluehouse Salmon Distribution Land-based Atlantic salmon from Atlantic Sapphire's Miami plant, sustainably raised in recirculating tanks and rated green by Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch; distributed to over 200 West Coast grocery retailers.
• Erewhon Riverence ASC Labeled Rainbow Trout ASC-labeled rainbow trout fillets from Riverence Provisions' land-based Idaho farm, packaged and distributed by Lusamerica as premium skin-on fillets free of antibiotics, hormones, and GMOs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of vessels offloaded at Moss Landing dock are from small-scale day boats (2022)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Surfrider FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Anti-offshore oil drilling advocacy partnership. Lusamerica signed onto petitions to protect fisheries, marine life, working waterfronts, tourism, and beaches from potential offshore drilling impacts.
• FARMS (Farming, Agriculture, and Resource Management for Sustainability)minorOthers · 1 November 2025Student leadership program by Center for Land-Based Learning. Lusamerica hosted 28 high school students for dock tour in Moss Landing Harbor with fish identification exercises and seafood industry education.
• Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture (CSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Lusamerica active member with award-winning chefs, environmentalists, researchers, and seafood companies advocating for US aquaculture growth. Coalition lobbies Congress for research funding and responsible aquaculture policies.
• Riverence ProvisionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 April 2025Partnership with land-based trout farm in Idaho's Magic Valley supplying ASC certified rainbow trout to Erewhon retailers through Lusamerica packaging and distribution. Riverence provides premium skin-on trout fillets raised without antibiotics, hormones, or GMOs.
• ErewhoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 April 2025Southern California's Certified Organic retailer now offering Lusamerica-distributed ASC labeled rainbow trout fillets at 11+ locations. Erewhon represents premium retail channel for sustainable seafood offerings.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025EDF coordinated fishery conservation fly-in event bringing together 14 fishermen and industry leaders for advocacy training and direct Congressional meetings. Lusamerica participated to advocate for NOAA funding and domestic fisheries support.
• Olympic Peninsula Seafood (formerly High Tide Seafood)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership began in 2024 with Port Angeles, Washington-based seafood company. Opened crab-cooking capabilities and new partnerships with Pacific Northwest fishermen, majority being Native American Tribes.
• Trace RegistercoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Third-party traceability system (Trace Register 5) providing GDST-compliant supply chain verification. Upgraded from in-house SAP system to add independent verification layer for sustainability reporting.
• Global Tuna AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Member since February 2022. Lusamerica participates in strategic planning meetings, advocates with Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), and engages on tuna sustainability, social responsibility, and transparency initiatives.
• Atlantic SapphirecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2021Distribution partnership bringing Bluehouse land-based salmon from Miami facility into over 200 West Coast grocery retailers. Atlantic Sapphire raises Atlantic salmon in land-based recirculating tanks certified as green Best Choice by Seafood Watch.
• Conservation Alliance for Seafood SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Lusamerica joined the Alliance's Global Hub in 2021, first industry company member. Active participation in annual conferences, panel discussions on due diligence, and access to sustainability resources and industry collaboration.
• Scott Fosmark / Fosmark FisheriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2020Partnership with fifth-generation fisherman to revitalize West Coast groundfish fishery. F/V Queen Corinne trawler partnership brings sustainable groundfish supply to compete with low-cost imports. Lusamerica provides market access and processing for trawl-caught species.
• Monterey Bay Fisheries TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership through Quota Leasing Program enabling fishermen to lease quotas at reduced rates. Trust supports local fishing economy and Community Seafood Program providing seafood to food banks including Meals on Wheels and Food Bank for Monterey County.
• Food Bank for Monterey CountyminorOthers · 1 January 2020Partner receiving donated and discounted seafood through Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust's Community Seafood Program. Grenadier and other underutilized fish distributed to food banks providing healthy protein to those in need.
• RepositrakcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Cloud-based system used for supplier document management ensuring all supplier documentation is completed and active. Part of supplier approval policy for food safety, traceability, and human rights compliance.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fortune Fish & Gourmet: Midwest-based specialty seafood and gourmet foods distributor serving retail and foodservice. Acquired Seattle Fish Co. (West Coast) in 2022, making it a comparable consolidated competitor with overlapping premium/sustainability positioning.
• North Coast Seafoods: East Coast seafood processor and distributor with similar vertical model — processing, value-added production, and direct distribution to restaurants and retailers. Comparable in scale, certification stack, and value-added product approach, though geographic footprint is Boston-based.
• True World Foods: National seafood distributor serving sushi restaurants, grocery, and foodservice with broad species portfolio and refrigerated distribution. Operates as a broad-line competitor to Lusamerica in the multi-species wholesale space, with significantly larger geographic footprint.
• Supreme Lobster: National seafood distributor serving grocery and foodservice across the US. Comparable broad-line distributor with similar product breadth and retail customer relationships; PE-backed, representing a larger consolidated competitor model.
• Pacific Seafood: Family-owned West Coast seafood processor and distributor with processing plants, fleet, and direct fishing operations across OR, WA, AK, and CA. Closest direct competitor to Lusamerica, with overlapping customer base (grocery, foodservice, restaurants) and similar value-added capabilities.
• Seafood Merchants: West Coast-based broad-line seafood distributor with focus on restaurants and independent retailers. Comparable in distribution model and customer mix, operating in overlapping California geographies.
• Inland Ocean Seafood: Pacific Northwest wholesale seafood distributor with processing and broad-line distribution to grocery and foodservice. Comparable regional player in same geographic and customer space, with similar species breadth.
• Slade Gorton & Co. East Coast seafood distributor with frozen and fresh broad-line capabilities serving grocery and foodservice. Comparable multi-category wholesale model with similar certification-driven customer approach.
• Channel Fish Processing: Massachusetts-based seafood processor and wholesaler with value-added capabilities (portioning, breading, custom cuts). Comparable in processing depth and broad-line distribution to retail and foodservice.

Regional players

• Samuels & Company (Samuels Seafood): Sonoma, CA-based seafood distributor with strong Northern California and broader West Coast presence in retail and foodservice channels. Operates as a more regional-focused comparable to Lusamerica's California density.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lusamerica_fish
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpKsypC2gvt0Sd2e1G3OAzg
• Facebookfacebook.com/lusamericaseafood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lusamerica-foods-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/lusamerica.seafood

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Lusamerica