What Copernus does

Copernus (Copernus Ltd.) is a second-generation, family-owned independent seafood processor headquartered on the Humber Estuary in Hull, UK. Founded in the 1980s by the late Walter Simpson and now led by Managing Director Dean Simpson, the company operates a 5,000+ square metre BRC Grade AA-accredited facility producing approximately 52 million portions of fish and seafood per year. Its portfolio spans a private-label and branded range — the proprietary 'Hooked on Fish' sub-brand (prepared fish in marinades, sauces and flavoured butters in ovenproof/microwaveable formats), retailer own-label lines such as Lidl's 'Lighthouse Bay' salmon sides, ready meals (Cod in Parsley Sauce, Smoked Haddank-style), coated products (goujons, nuggets, fishcakes), and a core chilled fresh and frozen range (salmon, cod, haddock, sea bass, pangasius).

The technical backbone centres on advanced fish processing and packaging automation: a Marel FleXicut water-jet trimming robot with X-ray bone detection (described as one of few such units in the UK) for precision fixed-weight whitefish processing, a 2021-vintage coated fish production line, skin-pack packaging using Prevented Ocean Plastic recycled materials (minimum 30% ocean-bound plastic, 80% recycled content), and linerless labelling via ProPrint Group/Ravenwood Packaging systems. These assets underpin ASC, MSC, Global Gap, RSPCA and BRC AA certifications across the product base.

Copernus runs a sales-led B2B model, supplying major UK supermarket chains — primarily Lidl GB (where the company represents more than 50% of the discounter's fish lines) plus other UK and European retailers — as well as meal-kit operators including Hello Fresh. Revenue is generated principally through one-off purchase orders for chilled and prepared fish products, supplemented by contract processing services to other seafood producers (primary processing, smoking, freezing). Disclosed revenue was £49 million for the year ending March (up from £38 million the prior year), with management forecasting £65–66 million the following year and publicly targeting £100 million within two years. Headcount has grown from 155 in 2020 to 200–220 plus agency workers.

Name

Copernus

Legal name

Copernus Ltd.

Website

https://copernus.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Copernus is a Hull-based, second-generation independent seafood processor supplying chilled, prepared and frozen fish products to major UK and European retailers — primarily Lidl GB — and meal-kit operators, with sustainability-certified (ASC/MSC/RSPCA/BRC AA) production from a 5,000 sq metre facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seafood Processing & Distribution

NAICS

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

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092)

akta.pro primary industry

Value-Added Seafood Packaging (MAP/Vacuum, Portion Packs, Private Label) (AFANADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh & Frozen Seafood Fillets (Portioned, Skinless/Boneless) (AFANALAA), Breaded & Battered Seafood (Fish Sticks, Nuggets, Cutlets) (AFANALAB), Butcher Box / DTC Meat & Seafood Delivery (AFAIANAD), Refrigerated Meat & Seafood (Processed/Packaged) (CRADACAK)

Keywords

• Seafood processing
• Chilled fish supplier
• Private label seafood
• Fish product manufacturing
• Contract fish processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston upon Hull

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Chilled Fish Product Sales: Sale of pre-packaged chilled fish products including salmon, cod, haddock, seabass to major UK supermarket chains. Primary revenue stream from retail partnerships.
2. Contract Processing Services: Outsourced manufacturing services for other seafood producers who need additional capacity. Provides primary processing, smoking, and freezing solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Copernus is a second-generation, family-owned independent fish processor that sources, fillets, portion-sizes, smokes, freezes, and packages chilled fish and seafood products (salmon, cod, haddock, sea bass, pangasius) for supply to major UK and European supermarket chains under its own Hooked On Fish brand, retailer private labels, and contract processing arrangements. The company operates a 5,000 square metre BRC Grade AA facility in Hull and produces approximately 52 million portions of seafood per year, with Lidl GB as its primary customer.

Product overview

Copernus is a second-generation, Hull-based fish and seafood processor and supplier. The company operates a unified product portfolio consisting of its trademarked Hooked On Fish sub-brand offering premium prepared fish products (marinades, sauces, flavoured butters in ovenproof/microwaveable formats), complemented by private label products for major retailers like Lidl (Lighthouse Bay salmon), and a core range of chilled fresh and frozen fish. The company provides contract processing services to other seafood producers. All products emphasise quality, sustainability certifications (ASC, MSC, Global Gap, RSPCA, BRC), and responsible sourcing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hooked On Fish: Trademarked brand promoting healthy lifestyle choices and encouraging people to cook prepared fish in marinades, sauces and flavoured butters, with the ease and convenience of an ovenproof or microwaveable tray.

Products and services

• Chilled Fish Products Full range of pre-packaged chilled fish products including salmon, whitefish, haddock, sea bass and pangasius supplied to leading UK and international supermarkets, featuring ocean-bound plastic packaging and ASC/MSC/Global Gap/RSPCA certifications.
• Hooked On Fish Sub-Brand Range Trademarked brand of prepared fish products including salmon medallions, fillets, en croute and skewers; haddock fillets, en croute, lemon and lime and roulade; cod fillets, Thai fillets and smoked fillets; and sea bass fillets, marketed as a restaurant-quality experience in ovenproof or microwaveable convenience formats.
• Lighthouse Bay Family-Sized Salmon Sides (Lidl Private Label) Responsibly sourced family-sized salmon side supplied to Lidl GB under the Lighthouse Bay own brand, serving six people and featured as an Easter Special Buy at £9.99 per kilo, with Global Gap and ASC certification.
• Summer Fish Range Summer fish product range including Salmon Skewers in four varieties, Sea Bass Fillets with Flavoured Butter Pellets in three varieties, and Cod Fillets with Garlic and Herb Butter, designed for quick 12-14 minute oven-ready preparation and supplied to UK retail shelves.
• Coated Fish Products (Goujons, Nuggets and Fishcakes) Coated fish product line including goujons, nuggets and fishcakes produced on a new coating line, designed to maximise raw material utilisation and supplied to secured retail listings.
• Ready Meals (Cod in Parsley Sauce and Smoked Haddock in Cheese, Mustard and Ale Sauce) Chilled ready meals launched at Lidl featuring Cod in Parsley Sauce with Parsley Crumb Topping and Smoked Haddock in Cheese, Mustard and Ale Sauce with Chive Crumb Topping, positioned as affordable and nutritious main dishes for two that require no meal preparation.
• Contract Processing Services Outsourced processing services for other seafood producers, providing primary processing, smoking and freezing capacity to handle short-notice volume requirements across large-scale operations, leveraging BRC Grade AA certified facilities and specialised equipment.
• Primary Processing Facility Services State-of-the-art primary processing facility spanning over 5,000 square metres on the Humber Estuary offering salmon and whitefish filleting and portioning, smoking, freezing and fixed weight processing, BRC Grade AA certified, producing 52 million portions of seafood annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produces 52 million portions of seafood annually from 5,000 sq metre facility
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Samworth BrothersminorOthers · 1 January 2021Former employer of new CSR & Technical Director Manideep Sandupatla. Consumer brands include Ginsters, Soreen, West Cornwall Pasty Co, and SCI-MX.
• Prevented Ocean PlasticcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2020Global recycling initiative partnership making Copernus first UK fish processor to pledge use of ocean-bound recycled materials in most packaging. Initially prevented 60+ metric tonnes of plastic from entering sea annually (equivalent to 2.5m plastic water bottles). Programme helps coastal communities in South East Asia, South America, Mediterranean, Central America and Caribbean.
• Lidl GBcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2020Primary customer and growth partner. Lidl initially rolled out ocean-bound plastic packaging across fresh fish products with Copernus representing more than 50% of discounter's fish lines. Lidl planning to add 200 more UK stores to hit 1,000 by 2023. Copernus is main customer driving partnership focus.
• Sharpak (Groupe Guillin)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Packaging development partner for ocean-bound plastic trays. Sharpak, part of Groupe Guillin, developed widely recyclable base material made from 80% recycled content and minimum 30% ocean-bound plastic weight.
• Bantam MaterialscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in Prevented Ocean Plastic initiative providing traceability for ocean-bound plastic materials sourced from South East Asian coastlines.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Whitby Seafoods: UK independent seafood processor specialising in scampi, coated/breaded seafood and frozen fish products for UK retailers and foodservice. Highly comparable in scale, BRC-certified UK processing model, retailer-private-label focus, and breaded/coated product portfolio similar to Copernus' new goujons/nuggets/fishcakes line.
• Young's Seafood: UK-based chilled and frozen seafood processor producing branded and private-label fish products for major UK retailers. Directly comparable to Copernus in product categories (salmon, cod, haddock, coated fish), retailer-led GTM, and value-added processing; Copernus' new CSR & Technical Director was previously employed at Young's Seafood.
• Hilton Food Group: UK-listed food packaging partner that co-develops and packs meat, seafood, plant-based and convenience products for leading international retailers. Same retailer-partner operating model (long-term development agreements with discounters and supermarkets), and seafood is an adjacent category with similar fixed-weight packing and cold-chain logistics demands as Copernus.
• Clearwater Seafoods: Global seafood harvester and processor of shellfish, scallops, lobster and clams with branded and B2B distribution. Comparable as a vertically integrated seafood processor selling into retail and foodservice with sustainability certifications (MSC), though North American rather than UK footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Greencore Group: UK-listed convenience food manufacturer producing chilled ready meals, sandwiches and salads for major supermarkets. Comparable as a UK-based supplier of value-added, retailer-branded chilled food; seafood is a small overlap category but the chilled-prepared-meal format aligns with Copernus' new ready-meal launches at Lidl.
• Nomad Foods: Europe's largest frozen food company (Birds Eye, Iglo brands) with significant frozen seafood exposure. Comparable at the category level in value-added frozen fish (coated fish, breaded portions, ready meals) and UK retail customer overlap, though operates at vastly greater scale and primarily consumer-branded rather than private label.
• Princes Group: UK-headquartered international food and drink group with substantial seafood, canned fish and frozen seafood operations serving UK and European retailers and foodservice. Comparable as a large-scale UK-based seafood processor with similar private-label customer base, though operates at materially greater size and across multiple food categories.
• 2 Sisters Food Group: Large UK-headquartered food manufacturer supplying chilled, frozen and ambient products across multiple categories and proteins to UK retailers. Comparable as a major UK private-label food supplier; Copernus' GM Andy Middleton joined from 2 Sisters, indicating operating-model and customer-set overlap.
• Thai Union Group: Global seafood processor and brand owner (Chicken of the Sea, John West, King Oscar) producing canned, frozen and chilled seafood for European retailers including private label. Comparable as a multinational seafood processor with MSC/ASC sustainability programs and significant private-label retail business overlapping Copernus' categories.
• Bakkavor Group: UK-listed fresh prepared food and ready-meal manufacturer serving major grocers. Comparable to Copernus' ready-meal expansion (Cod in Parsley Sauce, Smoked Haddock in Cheese Sauce) and broader chilled/fresh prepared seafood overlap, though Bakkavor operates across multiple proteins and categories at much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCio4_XJiK-N6mmOgS5JSIZA
• Xx.com/CopernusFF

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Copernus