What Omarsa does

Omarsa S.A. is a privately held, family-owned Ecuadorian shrimp producer and exporter founded in 1977 by Don Arturo Vanoni Fernandez, headquartered in Durán, Guayas. The company operates a fully vertically integrated value chain comprising three hatcheries (Tabasca, Mar Bravo, Punta Carnero) running a closed-cycle selective breeding program on Penaeus vannamei, five shrimp farms totaling 5,700 hectares of estuarine production in Ecuador, and two processing plants (Durán and the newer Las Brisas facility) with a combined freezing capacity of 71 million pounds per month. Its product portfolio spans Head-on Shell-on (HOSO), Headless Shell-on (HLSO), wild-caught Titi shrimp, and a value-added line including cooked, ready-to-cook, skewered, butterfly, and peeled-and-deveined formats, available as conventional, chemical-free, and EU Organic/Naturland-certified organic SKUs. The company holds 12 international certifications (ASC, BAP, BRC, GLOBALG.A.P., EU Organic, Naturland, Sedex, BASC, Mr. Goodfish, SSP, Carbon Neutral, Great Place to Work) and runs a zero-antibiotic production philosophy.

Omarsa ranked among the top two shrimp exporters in Ecuador, with $782.6 million in 2023 revenue generated from exporting 313.2 million pounds of shrimp to 340+ clients across 60 international markets. Its go-to-market is a sales-led B2B model with eight named regional sales managers covering the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Japan, Italy, and broader Asia, supplemented by trade show participation, downloadable sell sheets, and an active social media presence. Pricing is quote-based for wholesale buyers with no publicly disclosed price list, and revenue is almost entirely concentrated in a single stream: B2B shrimp product exports. The company employed 6,617 people in 2023 across hatcheries, farms, and processing plants, and carries an AAA credit rating from Summa Ratings. Omarsa is also one of only three processing plants qualified under the Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP).

Name

Omarsa

Legal name

Omarsa S.A.

Website

https://omarsa.com.ec

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Omarsa S.A. is a family-owned, vertically integrated Ecuadorian shrimp producer founded in 1977 that farms, processes, and exports Penaeus vannamei shrimp — including organic and value-added SKUs — to 340+ buyers across 60 international markets from hatcheries, 5,700 hectares of farms, and two processing plants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture / Shrimp Production and Export

NAICS

Aquaculture (1125), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (3117), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Crustacean Farming (e.g., shrimp, prawns, crab) (AFAEAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shrimp & Prawn Hatcheries (AFAEAKAC), Shellfish Processing (Shrimp, Crab, Lobster, Mollusks) (AFANADAC), Ready-to-Eat Seafood (Cooked Shrimp, Crab, Lobster, Surimi) (AFANALAC)

Keywords

• Sustainable shrimp farming
• Shrimp processing export
• Aquaculture production
• Value-added seafood
• Organic shrimp export

Headquarters

HQ city

Durán

HQ country

Ecuador

HQ region

Latin America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Shrimp Product Sales: Primary revenue from exporting sustainable shrimp products including head-on (HOSO), headless (HLSO), value-added products, and organic shrimp. Revenue from processing and selling farmed Penaeus vannamei shrimp harvested year-round

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Omarsa is a vertically integrated shrimp producer that cultivates, processes, and exports sustainable Penaeus vannamei shrimp from Ecuador. The company operates three hatcheries, five shrimp farms covering over 5,700 hectares, and two processing plants with a combined 71 million pounds monthly freezing capacity, selling head-on (HOSO), headless (HLSO), value-added, organic, and wild-caught Titi shrimp to international wholesale buyers across 60 markets.

Product overview

Omarsa is a vertically integrated sustainable shrimp producer offering a comprehensive portfolio of shrimp products from farm to export. The company operates three hatcheries (Tabasca, Mar Bravo, Punta Carnero), five shrimp farms (Cachugran, Chongón, Puná, Puerto Inca 1, Puerto Inca 2) totaling over 5,700 hectares, and two processing plants with 71 million pounds monthly freezing capacity. Product portfolio includes Head-on Shell-on (HOSO), Headless Shell-on (HLSO), wild-caught Titi shrimp, and value-added products (raw and cooked presentations including skewers, trays, butterfly, peeled/deveined variations). Products are available as conventional, chemical-free, and organic (certified under EU Organic and Naturland standards).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Head-on Shell-on (HOSO) Whole shrimp exported as they arrive at the processing plant without any additional procedure. Carefully handled and processed immediately after harvesting, available as conventional, chemical-free, or organic.
• Headless Shell-on (HLSO) One of the most common forms of raw shrimp exported, with the head removed and the shell remaining intact. Sold to international distributors and food service buyers.
• Value-Added Shrimp Products Premium shrimp products including ready-to-cook, cooked shrimp, skewers, trays, and specialty formats. Includes raw and cooked presentations such as peeled and deveined (tail on/off), easy peel, butterfly, and skewered shrimp.
• Titi Shrimp (Protrachypene precipua) Wild-caught shrimp from FAO zone 87 in the Pacific Ocean near Ecuadorian coasts, sold as a specialty product alongside farmed Penaeus vannamei.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018SSP is a group of leading companies committed to creating a sustainable future for shrimp aquaculture, pioneered in Ecuador. Omarsa is one of only 3 processing plants qualified to export SSP-certified shrimp. Members must meet ASC standards, zero antibiotics, traceability, and neutral water impact requirements.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Promarisco: Ecuadorian shrimp processor and exporter with ASC, BAP, and BRC certifications; competes with Omarsa on the same buyer set across the Americas and Europe.
• Nirsa (Negocios Industriales Real S.A.): Major Ecuadorian aquaculture and seafood company producing farmed shrimp and value-added products; overlaps with Omarsa across farm operations, processing, and export channels.
• Expalsa (Exportadora de Alimentos S.A.): Ecuadorian shrimp producer and exporter offering HOSO, HLSO, and value-added vannamei products; competes head-to-head with Omarsa in the EU and US premium sustainable segment.
• Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila: Ecuadorian vertically integrated shrimp exporter and one of Omarsa's principal domestic competitors; produces Penaeus vannamei from farms to processing plants and exports globally, making it the closest like-for-like peer in product, scale, and certification footprint.

Regional players

• Clearwater Seafoods: Canadian seafood company with a broad portfolio of shellfish and frozen seafood products; competes with Omarsa at the North American retail/foodservice buyer level despite a different species focus.
• Trident Seafoods: One of the largest US seafood companies, vertically integrated in wild-caught and farmed seafood including shrimp; competes with Omarsa in the North American B2B shrimp market with a different geographic footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Maruha Nichiro: Japanese seafood conglomerate with global shrimp sourcing, processing, and value-added operations; competes with Omarsa in the Japan and broader Asian export markets.
• Thai Union Group: One of the world's largest seafood companies with a substantial shrimp portfolio (Chicken of the Sea, Royal Pacific) including ASC-certified products; competes with Omarsa at the buyer/distributor level globally but operates across tuna, salmon, and pet food as well.
• Pescanova: Spanish seafood company with vertically integrated shrimp farming operations in Latin America (including Ecuador) and a global distribution network; overlaps with Omarsa on farm-to-shelf shrimp value-added products.
• Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF): Thai-based global aquaculture giant producing vannamei and black tiger shrimp at massive scale; competes with Omarsa in commodity and value-added shrimp export markets, particularly in Asia, Europe, and the US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/omarsa_ec
• Facebookfacebook.com/OMARSA-SA-234402223260883
• LinkedInpe.linkedin.com/company/omarsa-s-a-?trk=top_nav_home
• Instagraminstagram.com/omarsa.shrimp

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Omarsa