Cox’s Wholesale Seafood
Cox's Wholesale Seafood is a family-owned Tampa-based wholesaler, founded 1978, that processes and distributes 100% American wild-caught Gulf shrimp (Key West Pink, Gulf White, Gulf Brown, Rock Shrimp) to foodservice operators, retailers, and seafood distributors across the U.S. Southeast.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersTampa, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cox’s Wholesale Seafood does
Cox's Wholesale Seafood LLC is a privately held, family-owned seafood processor and wholesaler founded in 1978 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The company's operations center on 100% American wild-caught Gulf shrimp, sourced from the Gulf of Mexico and Florida waters using specialized nets engineered to minimize bycatch and safely release sea turtles and protected species. Its product line comprises four core shrimp varieties — Key West Pink, Gulf White, Gulf Brown, and Rock Shrimp — sold in bulk wholesale form, with a consumer-facing extension under the Cox Shrimp Co sub-brand offering packaged peeled and deveined shrimp (e.g., 12 oz bags).
Cox's operates a B2B wholesale distribution model targeting three primary customer segments: foodservice operators (restaurants, hotels, caterers), retail grocery, and seafood distributors. Sales are driven by a sales-led go-to-market combining direct outreach to enterprise accounts, inside sales via a toll-free 800 number, and website-driven inbound inquiries, with no disclosed app, e-commerce storefront, or API layer. Pricing is not publicly listed and appears to be negotiated on a quote basis by volume and product specification.
The company's competitive positioning rests on sustainability credentials rather than technology differentiation: it is certified under Certified Seafood International (CSI), its producers are certified by independent third-party sustainability partners including Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs), and it initiated and led the completion of the Florida Pink Shrimp FIP. It partners with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership and participates in the Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Supply Chain Roundtable, and operates a documented full traceability system from catch to table. The company employs 51–100 people, serves only the domestic U.S. market (Southeast and Florida), and has maintained family control with no disclosed external funding, acquisitions, or leadership changes.
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cox’s Wholesale Seafood
- Legal name
- Cox's Wholesale Seafood LLC
- Website
- https://coxseafood.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cox's Wholesale Seafood is a family-owned Tampa-based wholesaler, founded 1978, that processes and distributes 100% American wild-caught Gulf shrimp (Key West Pink, Gulf White, Gulf Brown, Rock Shrimp) to foodservice operators, retailers, and seafood distributors across the U.S. Southeast.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wholesale Seafood Distribution
- NAICS
- Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Other Marine Fishing (114119)
- SIC
- Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Shellfish Wholesale (Crustaceans & Mollusks) (AFAIADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Shellfish Processing (Shrimp, Crab, Lobster, Mollusks) (AFANADAC), Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen) (AFAIADAD)
Keywords
Where Cox’s Wholesale Seafood is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tampa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wholesale Shrimp Sales: B2B wholesale distribution of wild-caught Gulf shrimp to foodservice operators, retailers, and seafood distributors. Products sold in bulk quantities with pricing based on product type and volume.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cox's Wholesale Seafood is a family-owned food processing and wholesale distribution company founded in 1978 that produces and distributes 100% American wild-caught Gulf shrimp in bulk to foodservice operators, retailers, and seafood distributors. The company offers four premium shrimp varieties (Key West Pink, Gulf White, Gulf Brown, and Rock Shrimp) along with pre-processed peeled and deveined shrimp products, all certified through third-party sustainability programs including CSI and FIPs.
Product overview
Cox's Wholesale Seafood is a family-owned seafood company established in 1978, specializing in 100% American wild-caught Gulf shrimp. The company offers a focused product portfolio of four distinct shrimp varieties: Key West Pink (sourced from Florida's gulf coast with sweet, mild flavor and lobster-like texture), Gulf White (delicate, seasonal catch from Gulf and East Coast), Gulf Brown (firm-textured shrimp from Alabama to Texas), and Rock Shrimp (tender bite with rich, bold flavor). All products are sustainably sourced, traceable, and certified by independent third-party sustainability partners including Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) and Certified Seafood International (CSI). The company operates as a single-product-focused business with no modular platform architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cox Shrimp Co: Brand name used for packaged shrimp products, including peeled and deveined shrimp offerings.
Products and services
- Key West Pink Shrimp Wild-caught shrimp harvested from the crystal-clear waters of Florida's gulf coast with a sweet and mild flavor and lobster-like texture. Sold wholesale to foodservice operators, retailers, and seafood distributors.
- Gulf White Shrimp Wild-caught shrimp with a delicate, sweet flavor, harvested seasonally from the Gulf and East Coast. Known for mild taste and consistent quality.
- Gulf Brown Shrimp Shrimp harvested in the Gulf of Mexico from Alabama to Texas, featuring a firm texture suitable for all dishes and a full, flavorful taste.
- Rock Shrimp Premium wild-caught rock shrimp delivering a tender bite and rich, bold flavor. Prized for its unique texture compared to other shrimp varieties.
- Peeled and Deveined Shrimp (Cox Shrimp Co. brand) Pre-processed ready-to-cook shrimp products sold under the Cox Shrimp Co. brand, available in various sizes including 12 oz bags. Targets buyers seeking convenience without sacrificing wild-caught quality.
Companies that use Cox’s Wholesale Seafood
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Sustainable Fisheries PartnershipcoreCox's Seafood partners with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership to strengthen the sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery. This collaboration supports fishery improvement initiatives and provides access to sustainability expertise and industry best practices.
- Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Supply Chain RoundtablecoreActive participation in the Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Supply Chain Roundtable, collaborating with industry partners to continuously improve the sustainability of source fisheries. This working group addresses supply chain challenges and promotes best practices.
- Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs)coreCox's Seafood producers are certified by independent third-party sustainability partners including Fishery Improvement Projects. The company initiated and led the successful completion of the Florida Pink Shrimp FIP.
- Certified Seafood International (CSI)coreEarned the prestigious Certified Seafood International (CSI) certification - an independent, competitive program that verifies seafood meets the highest standards of environmental stewardship. This third-party certification provides credibility and market differentiation.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Blue Star Foods: U.S.-focused seafood company with a recombinant and value-added shrimp platform serving foodservice and retail. Comparable in the B2B shrimp distribution and value-added processing category, though broader in species and product format.
Broad incumbents
- Pacific Seafood Group: One of the largest privately held seafood companies in North America, vertically integrated from harvest through wholesale and value-added processing. Comparable as a diversified seafood wholesaler with sustainability emphasis, but vastly larger and broader in species.
- Sea Watch International: Established U.S. seafood processor and distributor with broader species coverage (shrimp, scallops, surimi) serving retail and foodservice. Larger, more diversified incumbent in adjacent shrimp wholesale.
- Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods: Major branded seafood company (Thai Union subsidiary) with U.S. wholesale and retail presence across shrimp and other species. Comparable in B2B shrimp distribution to retail/foodservice, but at much larger scale and broader category.
- High Liner Foods: Publicly traded North American value-added frozen seafood company with significant shrimp and shellfish exposure. Comparable in the B2B foodservice and retail seafood channel, but with a global, multi-species sourcing model.
Direct peers
- Ocean Springs Seafood: Gulf Coast wild-caught shrimp processor and wholesaler. Directly comparable in species, geography, and B2B wholesale motion to Cox's Gulf shrimp business.
- Domestic Fisheries: U.S.-based seafood harvester and wholesaler specializing in domestic wild-caught supply for foodservice. Direct peer in the B2B domestic wild-caught wholesale model that Cox's operates.
- Tampa Maid Foods: Tampa-based value-added seafood processor (shrimp, crab, specialty items) serving foodservice and retail. Direct geographic and category peer, with a broader value-added product portfolio versus Cox's whole/raw focus.
- Marvesta Shrimp Farms: Specialty domestic shrimp producer (though primarily aquaculture rather than wild-caught) targeting premium foodservice. Comparable end customer base and premium positioning, but different supply model.
Regional players
- Royal Hawaiian Seafood: U.S. specialty seafood wholesaler focused on premium wild-caught and sustainable supply, similar in sustainability positioning to Cox's, but Pacific-region in geography rather than Gulf.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood social profiles
Digital presenceCox’s Wholesale Seafood compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cox’s Wholesale Seafood
What does Cox’s Wholesale Seafood do?
Cox's Wholesale Seafood is a family-owned food processing and wholesale distribution company founded in 1978 that produces and distributes 100% American wild-caught Gulf shrimp in bulk to foodservice operators, retailers, and seafood distributors. The company offers four premium shrimp varieties (Key West Pink, Gulf White, Gulf Brown, and Rock Shrimp) along with pre-processed peeled and deveined shrimp products, all certified through third-party sustainability programs including CSI and FIPs.
Is Cox’s Wholesale Seafood a public or private company?
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Cox’s Wholesale Seafood founded?
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood was founded in 1978. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cox’s Wholesale Seafood based?
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood is headquartered in Tampa, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cox’s Wholesale Seafood make money?
One revenue line is on record: wholesale Shrimp Sales.
Who are Cox’s Wholesale Seafood's main competitors?
Blue Star Foods is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Pacific Seafood Group, Sea Watch International, Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods and High Liner Foods. Direct peers are Ocean Springs Seafood, Domestic Fisheries, Tampa Maid Foods and Marvesta Shrimp Farms. Royal Hawaiian Seafood is listed as a regional player.
Does Cox’s Wholesale Seafood have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cox’s Wholesale Seafood.
What industry is Cox’s Wholesale Seafood in?
Cox’s Wholesale Seafood's product category is Wholesale Seafood Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIADAF, Shellfish Wholesale (Crustaceans & Mollusks), with a secondary code of AFANADAC, Shellfish Processing (Shrimp, Crab, Lobster, Mollusks). Its NAICS code is 42446 and its SIC code is 2092.