Suisan Company, Ltd.

What Suisan Company, Ltd. does

Suisan Company, Ltd. is a third-generation, family-owned broadline foodservice distributor and fresh seafood operator headquartered in Hilo, Hawai'i, founded in 1907. The company operates two core divisions: Suisan Foodservice, a broadline distribution business distributing products from national CPG partners (Tyson, Nestlé Professional, Unilever Food Solutions, Lamb Weston, Hormel, Kraft Heinz, General Mills, Smithfield, McCormick, Dole) to restaurants, hotels, and institutional customers across Hawai'i Island via its own delivery fleet; and Suisan Fish Market, a wholesale and retail fresh seafood operation founded in 1940 offering up to 50 reef fish and pelagic varieties (ahi, mahi-mahi, ono, salmon) with HACCP-compliant handling. Coverage spans the entire island from Hilo through Kona, Kohala, Hamakua, Pahoa, Waikoloa, and remote areas such as Miloli'i, Ho'okena, and Ka'u, with dedicated hotel delivery schedules and 101-250 employees.

The business model is transaction-fee broadline distribution combined with seafood wholesale/retail margin; pricing is quote-based through sales representatives rather than publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, supported by an e-Order online ordering platform (suisan-orders.ignition.apteancloud.com, weborder.suisan.com) and value-added customer tools (Operator's Edge, Menu Management). Supplier relationships are formalized into a five-tier partner program (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Ohana) and the company hosts an annual Food & New Product Show (41st edition in 2025) as the central customer engagement event.

Customers span Hawai'i Island foodservice operators (restaurants, hotels, institutions) and seafood buyers (wholesale accounts plus retail consumers via the Hilo fish market storefront and suisanfishmarket.com). The company is privately held with no external funding, no parent company, and no disclosed M&A activity; leadership transitioned from past President Glenn Hashimoto to current President Steve Ueda, continuing the family-ownership continuity that has defined the firm across three generations.

Name

Suisan Company, Ltd.

Legal name

Suisan Company Limited

Website

https://suisan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Suisan Company, Ltd. is a third-generation, family-owned broadline foodservice distributor and fresh seafood market founded in 1907 in Hilo, Hawai'i. It distributes national CPG and fresh Hawaiian seafood products via its own delivery fleet to foodservice operators, hotels, and consumers across Hawai'i Island.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foodservice Distribution

NAICS

Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446), Fish and Seafood Retailers (44525)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen) (AFAIADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seafood Markets & Fishmongers (CRAHAHAC), Meat, Poultry & Seafood Refrigerated Warehousing (TLALABAC)

Keywords

• Broadline foodservice distribution
• Fresh seafood distribution
• Hawaiian seafood wholesale
• Restaurant food supply
• Frozen foods distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Broadline Foodservice Distribution: Suisan generates revenue through the distribution of broadline foodservice products to commercial customers including restaurants, hotels, and institutions across Hawai'i Island. They act as a distributor for major food manufacturers including Tyson, Nestlé Professional, Unilever, Lamb Weston, Hormel, and others.
2. Fresh Seafood Sales: Suisan Fish Market provides wholesale and retail seafood sales, offering products including ahi, mahi-mahi, ono, salmon, and up to 50 other varieties. Products are sold by weight (per lb), and in various bowl and plate formats for retail customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Suisan Company, Ltd. is a broadline foodservice distributor that procures and delivers a wide range of food products — proteins, frozen foods, produce, supplies, and fresh seafood — to restaurants, hotels, and institutional foodservice operators across Hawai'i Island. The company also operates the Suisan Fish Market, supplying wholesale and retail customers with fresh Hawaiian seafood including ahi, mahi-mahi, ono, salmon, and up to 50 varieties of reef fish, supported by HACCP-compliant handling and island-wide scheduled delivery.

Product overview

Suisan Company, Ltd. is a third-generation, family-owned and operated, broadline food service distributor based on Hawai'i Island. The company operates two core product divisions: Suisan Foodservice (broadline distribution) and Suisan Fish Market (fresh seafood). Suisan Foodservice distributes a wide range of food products through partnerships with major suppliers including Nestle Professional, Tyson Foodservice, Unilever Food Solutions, Lamb Weston, Hormel Foods, Kraft Heinz, General Mills, and many others organized into Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Ohana partner tiers. Suisan Fish Market provides wholesale and retail customers with fresh seafood including ahi, mahi-mahi, ono, salmon, and reef fish varieties. The company also offers delivery services across Hawai'i Island (coast to coast), customer tools including Operator's Edge and Menu Management for business support, and hosts an annual Food & New Product Show event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Suisan Foodservice (Broadline Distribution) Broadline food service distribution division that supplies wholesale food products — proteins, frozen foods, produce, supplies, and beverages — to restaurants, hotels, and institutional foodservice operators across Hawai'i Island, drawing on partnerships with major manufacturers including Nestlé Professional, Tyson Foodservice, Unilever Food Solutions, Lamb Weston, Hormel, Kraft Heinz, General Mills, King & Prince, Smithfield, Mission Foods, McCormick, and Dole.
• Suisan Fish Market (Fresh Seafood Wholesale and Retail) Fresh seafood market providing wholesale and retail customers with fresh Hawaiian seafood including ahi, mahi-mahi, ono, salmon, and up to 50 other varieties of reef fish and pelagic species, with HACCP-compliant handling, daily market pricing, and online ordering via suisanfishmarket.com.
• Island-Wide Delivery Service Direct delivery service operating company-owned delivery routes across Hawai'i Island, covering East Hawai'i, West Hawai'i, Kohala, Hamakua, Pahoa, Volcano, Waikoloa, Ka'u, and remote areas such as Miloli'i and Ho'okena, with dedicated sales representatives in Hilo and Kona.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving entire island of Hawai'i coast to coast
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered platinum, gold, silver, bronze and ohana.

• Nestlé ProfessionalplatinumChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNestlé Professional is listed as a Platinum tier partner, indicating a primary supplier relationship for beverages and food service products distributed through Suisan to customers across Hawai'i Island.
• Tyson FoodserviceplatinumChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTyson Foodservice is a Platinum tier partner supplying chicken and protein products through Suisan's distribution network to foodservice operators throughout Hawai'i Island.
• Unilever Food SolutionsplatinumChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnilever Food Solutions, founded in the 1880s, is a Platinum partner providing culinary brands such as Knorr, Hellmann's, and Lipton for distribution to restaurants and foodservice establishments.
• Lamb WestonplatinumChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLamb Weston is a Platinum partner and leading supplier of frozen potato products including french fries. They offer promotional programs through Suisan such as buy 10 boxes get 1 free deals.
• Hormel FoodsgoldChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHormel Foods is a Gold tier partner offering deli meats, specialty preparations like Natural Choice roast beef and Fire Braised chicken breast. They run seasonal promotional campaigns through Suisan.
• Kraft HeinzgoldChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKraft Heinz is a Gold tier partner producing condiments, sauces, soups, and tomatoes for household and restaurant distribution.
• General MillssilverChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGeneral Mills is a Silver tier partner providing baking, cereal, pastry, and dough products with brands like Chex, Pillsbury, and Betty Crocker.
• King & Prince SeafoodsilverChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKing & Prince Seafood has over 65 years in the industry providing sustainable seafood including fish, shrimp, calamari, crab surimi, and seafood blends year-round.
• Smithfield FoodsbronzeChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSmithfield Foods is a Bronze tier partner, a global food company with farms, facilities, and offices in the US, Europe, and Mexico employing over 54,000 people.
• Mission FoodsbronzeChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMission Foods is a Bronze partner founded in 1949 that innovated tortilla dough preservation for authentic Mexican flavors and healthy options.
• McCormickohanaChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMcCormick is an Ohana tier partner and global flavor leader with 125+ years helping people create memorable food experiences with leading spice and seasoning brands in 110 countries.
• Dole PackagingohanaChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDole Food Company is committed to supplying high-quality fruit products with corporate philosophy of ethical conduct and nutrition research.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Performance Food Group: Large multi-segment foodservice distributor including broadline operations serving independent restaurants and chain accounts. Comparable business model to Suisan's broadline foodservice distribution, particularly in protein and frozen categories where overlap with Suisan's partner portfolio is meaningful.
• US Foods: Major national broadline foodservice distributor with broad product portfolio across proteins, frozen, dry, and specialty categories. Operates the same foodservice distribution business model as Suisan at much larger scale, and is the most direct analog of Suisan's broadline distribution operation.
• Gordon Food Service: Family-led broadline foodservice distributor with broad product portfolio and direct-to-customer delivery model across North America. Operates the same distribution-led GTM motion as Suisan with comparable category breadth.
• Shamrock Foods Company: Family-owned broadline foodservice distributor serving the western and southwestern United States with broad product range and dedicated delivery infrastructure. Highly comparable to Suisan's family-owned broadline model with regional density focus.
• Sysco Corporation: The largest broadline foodservice distributor in the United States, serving restaurants, healthcare, education, and hospitality customers nationwide. Highly comparable to Suisan's broadline foodservice distribution model and customer base, but with national scale versus Suisan's single-island footprint.

Regional players

• Y. Hata & Co. Hawaii-based broadline foodservice distributor serving the state's restaurant and hospitality industry across multiple islands. Comparable to Suisan in foodservice distribution focus and product portfolio, although operating on islands (notably Oahu) where Suisan does not currently have presence.

Emerging players

• Catalena Seafood: Specialty seafood distributor focused on premium and hard-to-source species for restaurants and retailers. Comparable to the specialty reef-fish assortment side of Suisan Fish Market with overlapping customer profiles in fine-dining and hospitality.

Direct peers

• Inland Seafood: Specialty seafood distributor serving restaurants and foodservice operators across the southeastern United States with fresh and frozen seafood, including proprietary brands. Closely comparable to the Suisan Fish Market wholesale business in product mix and customer type.
• Honolulu Fish Company: Hawaii-based wholesale seafood distributor and retailer focused on fresh Hawaiian fish and seafood. The most direct competitor to Suisan Fish Market on seafood wholesale and retail, and a close analog in terms of fresh Hawaiian product range and customer types.
• FreshPoint (a Sysco company): Sysco's specialty produce and fresh seafood distribution subsidiary focused on fresh-category distribution to foodservice operators. Closely comparable to the fresh-seafood side of Suisan Fish Market and to its fresh produce distribution activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@suisanfishmarket1940
• Facebookfacebook.com/SuisanCompanyLtdOhana
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/suisan-company-ltd-
• Instagraminstagram.com/suisanohana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Suisan Company, Ltd.