Direct Ocean

Seafood Import and Distributiondirectocean.com

Direct Ocean SAS is a French B2B seafood importer and exporter specializing in salmon, sourcing from multiple origins (primarily Chile) and supplying prepared-dish manufacturers, HORECA, and mass-retail accounts across more than 16 countries. Founded in 1980 and headquartered at Boulogne-sur-Mer with a Chilean office in Puerto Varas, it handles roughly 14,000 tons annually and operates on a transaction-fee trading model with quote-based B2B pricing.

Company typePrivate
Founded1980
HeadquartersBoulogne-sur-mer, France
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2B
OfferingServices

Direct Ocean firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Direct Ocean
Legal name: Direct Océan SAS
Website: https://directocean.com
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1980
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: Direct Ocean SAS is a French B2B seafood importer and exporter specializing in salmon, sourcing from multiple origins (primarily Chile) and supplying prepared-dish manufacturers, HORECA, and mass-retail accounts across more than 16 countries. Founded in 1980 and headquartered at Boulogne-sur-Mer with a Chilean office in Puerto Varas, it handles roughly 14,000 tons annually and operates on a transaction-fee trading model with quote-based B2B pricing.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Direct Ocean industry classification

Industry

Product category: Seafood Import and Distribution
NAICS: Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446), Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (48311)
SIC: Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)
akta.pro industry: PRIMARYAFAIADAD
Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen)
Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Meat, Poultry & Seafood Wholesale
SECONDARYTLACABAI
Reefer/Temperature-Controlled Ocean Forwarding
Transportation & Logistics/Freight Forwarding & Customs Brokerage/Ocean Freight Forwarding (FCL/LCL)
SECONDARYTLACABAE
Ocean Import Forwarding (Destination Handling/DO/ISF)
Transportation & Logistics/Freight Forwarding & Customs Brokerage/Ocean Freight Forwarding (FCL/LCL)
SECONDARYTLADAHAD
Refrigerated Ocean Shipping (Reefer Containers & Specialized Reefer Vessels)
Transportation & Logistics/Freight Transportation (Air, Maritime, Rail, Trucking)/Refrigerated & Temperature-Controlled Freight Transport

Keywords

Seafood import export
Salmon distribution
Frozen seafood wholesale
Cold chain logistics
B2B seafood trading

Where Direct Ocean is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Boulogne-sur-mer
HQ country: France
HQ region: Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

Direct Ocean business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Seafood Import/Export: The company generates revenue through importing and exporting fresh and frozen seafood products, primarily salmon (80% of volumes) supplemented by other species (20%). Operations include direct sourcing from supplier countries and sales to French and international B2B customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Direct Ocean product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Direct Ocean is a B2B seafood importer/exporter that sources fresh and frozen salmon (80% of volumes) and other seafood species (20%) from global suppliers and sells them to French and international industrial food manufacturers, HORECA/catering operators, and mass retail chains. The company operates a logistics platform in Le Portel/Boulogne-sur-Mer (France's #1 fishing port) and a sourcing office in Puerto Varas, Chile, providing direct supplier access and cold chain distribution with 'Custom Salmon' solutions tailored to customer specifications.

Product overview

Direct Ocean is a B2B seafood import/export company specializing in salmon products. The core offering consists of Fresh Salmon (fresh Atlantic salmon fillets and portions) and Frozen Salmon (blocks, cubes, fillets, portions from farmed and wild salmon), complemented by Other Seafood Products (whitefish, tuna, shellfish). The company operates as a single unified trading platform without modular architecture, with a 'Salmon In All Its States' product philosophy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

IFS Broker certification score of 98.48% (High Level)

Companies that use Direct Ocean

Customer profile

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Direct Ocean technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Direct Ocean partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct Ocean competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

SalMar ASA: SalMar is one of the world's largest salmon farming companies with a strong Norwegian and Icelandic footprint. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Direct Ocean's salmon activities, with direct B2B sales channels that overlap with French and European buyers.
Mowi ASA: Mowi is the world's largest Atlantic salmon farmer and a major seafood supplier. It is broadly comparable to Direct Ocean as a vertically integrated salmon supplier, though it operates at far greater scale across farming, processing, and B2B sales.
Pescanova: Pescanova is a Spanish-origin seafood group with broad fishing, farming, and distribution operations. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Direct Ocean as a European seafood group supplying retail and food-service with both fresh and frozen products.
Thai Union Group: Thai Union Group is a global seafood conglomerate (Chicken of the Sea, John West, Petit Navire). It is a broad incumbent comparable to Direct Ocean as a multi-species B2B and B2C seafood supplier with French and European retail exposure.

Direct peers

Labeyrie: Labeyrie is a French salmon and seafood specialist with strong brand presence and B2B/B2C reach. It is directly comparable to Direct Ocean as a French-based, salmon-focused seafood business operating across retail, food-service, and industrial channels.
Delpierre: Delpierre is a French seafood importer and distributor supplying retail and food-service customers. It competes head-to-head with Direct Ocean in French B2B seafood distribution, particularly for fresh and frozen salmon and whitefish.
Skagerrak: Skagerrak is a Norwegian seafood trading and processing company specializing in salmon and other species. It is directly comparable to Direct Ocean as a salmon-focused B2B trading business supplying European and global B2B customers.
Ocean Quality: Ocean Quality is a Norwegian-owned salmon sales and marketing company supplying European and Asian markets. It is directly comparable to Direct Ocean as a salmon sales specialist sourcing from Norwegian and other producers for B2B customers.
Meralliance: Meralliance is a French salmon processor and supplier serving European retail and food-service markets. It overlaps directly with Direct Ocean in salmon sourcing, processing, and B2B distribution of fresh and frozen salmon.

Regional players

Young's Seafood: Young's Seafood is one of the UK's largest seafood processors and suppliers to UK retail and food-service. It is a regional peer comparable to Direct Ocean in B2B seafood distribution focused on Western European markets, though UK-centric.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Direct Ocean compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance6 records

Direct Ocean financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Direct Ocean leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Direct Ocean funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

Direct Ocean M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Direct Ocean

What does Direct Ocean do?

Is Direct Ocean a public or private company?

Direct Ocean is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.

When was Direct Ocean founded?

Direct Ocean was founded in 1980. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Direct Ocean based?

Direct Ocean is headquartered in Boulogne-sur-mer, France, in the Europe region.

How does Direct Ocean make money?

One revenue line is on record: seafood Import/Export.

Who are Direct Ocean's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are SalMar ASA, Mowi ASA, Pescanova and Thai Union Group. Direct peers are Labeyrie, Delpierre, Skagerrak, Ocean Quality and Meralliance. Young's Seafood is listed as a regional player.

Does Direct Ocean have an API?

No public API is recorded for Direct Ocean.

What industry is Direct Ocean in?

Direct Ocean's product category is Seafood Import and Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIADAD, Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen), with a secondary code of TLACABAI, Reefer/Temperature-Controlled Ocean Forwarding. Its NAICS code is 42446 and its SIC code is 5140.