Keyport

What Keyport does

Keyport LLC is a privately held, family-owned seafood processor and wholesale distributor headquartered in Edmonds, Washington. Founded in 1997 by Darryl K. Pedersen, the company has operated for nearly three decades as a fully integrated "ocean to table" supplier of wild-caught Alaska crab and frozen seafood products across four primary species: Red King Crab, Golden King Crab, Snow Crab, and Dungeness Crab. The company's most differentiated offering is Golden King Crab harvested from the Aleutian Islands at depths exceeding 2,000 feet using a proprietary hybrid longline method with purpose-built pink-colored pots and escapement webbing — a fishery accessible to only five equipped vessels in Alaska. Processing operations span Washington State and Norway, with a 2018-relocated US headquarters that includes a commercial demonstration and test kitchen.

Keyport serves three primary B2B segments — seafood distributors, retailers, and restaurants — through a sales-led model staffed by dedicated sales representatives handling quote-based wholesale orders with a 600 lb (one pallet) minimum. Pricing is unit-based with pay-as-you-go billing, and the company provides real-time inventory and pricing updates to accounts. A consumer-direct channel operates through a fulfillment partnership with SeaBear, enabling 10-200 lb case purchases for individual buyers and small accounts. Value-added product extensions include the Wild Choice frozen entrées and seafood line, plus educational content such as the Alaska Crab Buying Guide.

The company's go-to-market blends content marketing (blog, YouTube captain dispatches, recipe videos), broad social media presence, annual industry events (Seafood Expo North America, Boston Seafood Expo), and direct sales outreach. Leadership transitioned in 2017 to Mark Pedersen (CEO) and Kurt Pedersen (COO), with founder Darryl K. Pedersen remaining as Chairman; in February 2026 the company added Craig Morris (former GAPP CEO) as President to professionalize and accelerate growth ahead of the 30-year milestone in 2027. No external capital, parent company, or institutional investor is present — the business is 100% independently owned and funded.

Name

Keyport

Legal name

Keyport LLC

Website

https://keyportllc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Keyport LLC is a private, family-owned processor and wholesale supplier of premium wild-caught Alaska crab and frozen seafood, serving US seafood distributors, retailers, and restaurants via pallet-sized B2B orders and a SeaBear-powered consumer-direct program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Crab & Frozen Seafood Processing

NAICS

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (3117), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Shellfish Processing (Shrimp, Crab, Lobster, Mollusks) (AFANADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen) (AFAIADAD), Frozen Seafood Meals & Value-Added Seafood (CRADADAG)

Keywords

• Wholesale seafood
• Crab processing
• Frozen seafood supply
• Wild-caught crab
• Seafood distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonds

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Crab Sales: Keyport generates revenue through the sale of wild-caught wholesale crab and frozen seafood products to seafood distributors, retailers, and restaurants. The business is primarily focused on pallet-sized orders (minimum 600 lbs), with dedicated sales representatives handling account management and providing inventory and pricing updates.
2. Consumer Direct Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of crab products in smaller quantities (10-200 lbs) shipped in 10 lb increments within the continental US through fulfillment partner SeaBear. This provides flexibility for accounts with limited freezer space or consumers needing crab for special events.
3. Value-Added Products: Sale of Wild Choice branded frozen seafood entrees and prepared seafood meals, expanding the product portfolio beyond raw crab to processed convenience products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Keyport processes and supplies wholesale wild-caught crab and frozen seafood, including Red King, Golden King, Snow, and Dungeness crab, primarily to seafood distributors, retailers, and restaurants in pallet-sized orders (minimum 600 lbs). The company also offers Wild Choice branded frozen seafood entrees and a Consumer Direct program for smaller case purchases (10-200 lbs) fulfilled through partner SeaBear.

Product overview

Keyport is America's premier processor and supplier of wholesale wild-caught crab and frozen seafood. The company operates as a fully integrated seafood business offering a portfolio of premium crab products including Red King Crab, Golden King Crab, Snow Crab, and Dungeness Crab, complemented by the Wild Choice sub-brand of frozen entrees and frozen seafood products. Keyport also provides educational resources including the Alaska Crab Buying Guide and preparation instructions. The company serves seafood distributors, retailers, and restaurants across the US with a minimum order of 600 lbs for wholesale accounts, and offers consumer direct ordering through their fulfillment partner SeaBear for smaller quantities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wild Choice®: Sub-brand for frozen seafood entrees and seafood products

Products and services

• Red King Crab Premium Alaska Red King crab legs and broiler claws harvested from the Bering Sea, known for their large size and rich, sweet flavor, sold wholesale to seafood distributors, retailers, and restaurants.
• Golden King Crab Alaska Golden King crab harvested from the deep volcanic slopes of the Aleutian Islands at depths exceeding 2,000 feet, offering a milder, sweeter taste and excellent texture, sold wholesale.
• Snow Crab Alaska Snow crab comprising Bairdi and Opilio species, valued for long easy-to-crack legs, delicate texture, and sweet taste, sold wholesale.
• Dungeness Crab Sweet, delicate Dungeness crab meat harvested from Oregon, California, and Washington, sold wholesale for its tender meat and culinary versatility.
• Wild Choice Frozen Entrées Value-added frozen seafood entrees under the Wild Choice brand, featuring Alaska crab and seafood in prepared meal formats for retail and foodservice.
• Wild Choice Frozen Seafood Frozen seafood products under the Wild Choice brand, providing prepared seafood options for retailers and foodservice operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Golden King crab TAC increased 13% year-over-year to 4.74 million pounds, demonstrating stable and growing supply
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SeaBearcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeaBear serves as Keyport's fulfillment partner for the Consumer Direct program, handling shipment of 10-200 lb orders in 10 lb increments to individual consumers within the continental US. This partnership enables Keyport to serve smaller accounts and individual customers without building its own fulfillment infrastructure.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Maruha Nichiro: Maruha Nichiro is one of the largest global seafood companies with broad North American wholesale, foodservice, and retail activity across many species. Comparable to Keyport as a broader incumbent in the wholesale seafood space with overlap on distribution channels.
• High Liner Foods: High Liner Foods is the largest North American frozen seafood brand, with value-added and frozen prepared seafood across retail and foodservice. Relevant to Keyport as a broader incumbent in the same end markets, particularly overlapping with Wild Choice.

Direct peers

• Premier Pacific Seafoods: Premier Pacific Seafoods is a Pacific Northwest seafood processor and wholesaler offering crab, shrimp, and finfish to foodservice and retail customers. Overlaps directly with Keyport on species mix and wholesale distribution model.
• Trident Seafoods: Trident Seafoods is the largest US processor of wild-caught Alaska seafood, including King, Snow, and Dungeness crab, serving wholesale, foodservice, and retail channels. It is the closest direct competitor to Keyport in species mix, processing model, and B2B customer base.
• Icicle Seafoods: Icicle Seafoods is an Alaska-based wild seafood processor and distributor focused on salmon, pollock, and other species for B2B customers. Compares to Keyport on integrated processing, Alaska supply, and B2B go-to-market, with overlapping national account reach.
• Pacific Seafood Group: Pacific Seafood is a vertically integrated Pacific Northwest processor, distributor, and retailer of wild-caught seafood, including crab and frozen value-added products. Comparable to Keyport in its wholesale-distributor focus and PNW processing geography.
• Ocean Beauty Seafoods: Ocean Beauty Seafoods is a multi-generational Alaska seafood processor and wholesaler offering wild-caught salmon, crab, and other species to retail and foodservice customers nationwide. Its product portfolio, integrated cold-chain, and Pacific Northwest roots closely mirror Keyport's positioning.
• Blue Star Foods: Blue Star Foods is a seafood company focused on crab, shrimp, and other premium shellfish sold through retail and foodservice channels in North America. Comparable to Keyport for species and channel focus.
• Alyeska Seafoods: Alyeska Seafoods produces premium wild-caught Alaska seafood (salmon, herring, pollock, cod) for retail, foodservice, and ingredient customers. Comparable to Keyport as a vertically integrated Alaska seafood supplier selling into national wholesale channels.
• Coastal Villages Seafood: Coastal Villages is an Alaska Native-owned seafood harvester and processor operating a fleet that supplies crab, pollock, and salmon to global markets. Comparable to Keyport's harvest-to-wholesale model and Alaska wild-caught species portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/keyportllc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCU8TScOch6X7P-aWGaLnLzA
• Facebookfacebook.com/keyportllc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keyport-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/keyportllc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Keyport