Gelpeixe

What Gelpeixe does

Gelpeixe, Alimentos Congelados S.A. is a Portuguese family-owned frozen-food processor founded in 1977 by Francisco Tarré and his sons Manuel and Joaquim in Loures, where it still operates its headquarters and primary production facility. The company processes and packages frozen fish, mollusks (including Vietnamese clams and cleaned squid), shellfish (wild shrimp from Mozambique, lobster, crab), pre-prepared dishes such as Bacalhau à Brás and Bacalhau com Natas, savory and sweet pastries (including Pastéis de Nata), meats, and select vegetables. Its underlying technology stack centers on cold-chain management, industrial sorting (its first calibradora installed in 1994), and a portfolio of seven packaging formats (bag, vacuum, Darfresh, IWP, bulk, tray, box) that support more than 1,400 SKUs under its Gelpeixe brand. Quality and safety are anchored in ISO 9001 and IFS Food management systems, while seafood sourcing is qualified through Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certifications.

Gelpeixe sells exclusively through business-to-business channels, distributing domestically via a direct salesforce to foodservice operators, hotels, restaurants, caterers, and retailers, and internationally through a dedicated export team serving more than 17 countries across Europe and North America. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; orders are processed via downloadable product catalog and direct sales contact, consistent with catalog-based B2B procurement and multi-year supply relationships. A small on-site retail outlet at the Loures facility provides direct-to-consumer access but is not a primary revenue channel.

The business is operated under continuous Tarré family ownership with the family holding key operational roles alongside professional management; annual sales exceed €65 million and the workforce of 150+ is notable for long tenure (47% with 10+ years, 25% with 25+ years). The company has invested in operational sustainability through 2,578 photovoltaic panels delivering 24% energy independence, 100% LED lighting, a 90,000-liter rainwater collection system, and reverse osmosis water treatment. Recent strategic activity has focused on capacity (2022 factory expansion), greener processing technology (EU Mar2030 'Gelfish4future' programme), and growth capital support through Portugal's PRR '#Construir o Futuro' recovery plan, alongside ongoing category expansion into allergen-free and convenience seafood products.

Name

Gelpeixe

Legal name

Gelpeixe, Alimentos Congelados S.A

Website

https://gelpeixe.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Gelpeixe is a Portuguese family-owned frozen-food processor founded in 1977 that produces and distributes more than 1,400 SKUs of fish, shellfish, mollusks, pre-prepared dishes, pastries, and meats to B2B foodservice operators, retailers, and distributors across more than 17 international markets from its Loures headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Frozen Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Frozen Food Manufacturing (31141), Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412), Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (42442)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing (AFAKACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Frozen Prepared Meals & Entrées Wholesale (AFAIAHAG), Frozen Foods Wholesale (Packaged & Private Label) (AFAIAHAA), Frozen Entrées & Complete Meals (CRADADAA), Pastry, Cakes & Tortes Manufacturing (AFAKAAAB)

Keywords

• Frozen seafood processing
• Frozen fish products
• Pre-cooked frozen meals
• Frozen vegetable products
• Sustainable seafood sourcing

Headquarters

HQ city

Loures

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Frozen Food Product Sales: B2B sales of frozen seafood products including fish, mollusks, shellfish, pre-prepared foods, vegetables, meats and sweets through direct sales and distribution channels
2. Export Sales: International sales to 17+ countries with dedicated export team handling logistics and compliance

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gelpeixe manufactures and sells a broad range of frozen food products, including fish, mollusks, shellfish, pre-prepared dishes, vegetables, meats, sweets, and savory pastries. The company supplies foodservice operators, retailers, and distributors in Portugal and internationally, leveraging an industrial cold-chain production process at its Loures facility. Its catalog spans more than 1,400 stock-keeping units (SKUs) under ISO 9001 and IFS Food certified quality systems.

Product overview

Gelpeixe is a frozen food company offering a diversified portfolio of seafood, meat, and pastry products. The core product categories include Fish (Peixe), Mollusks (Moluscos), Shellfish (Marisco), Pre-cooked dishes (Pré-Cozinhados), Savory pastries (Salgados), Sweets (Doces), and Meats (Carnes). Products are available in various packaging formats including bags (Saco), vacuum packaging (Vácuo), Darfresh, IWP, bulk (Granel), trays (Tabuleiro), and boxes (Caixa). The company sources products from worldwide origins and emphasizes MSC/ASC sustainable certifications for seafood products. Notable branded products include salmon burgers, gluten-free seafood delights, and MSC-certified hake fillets. The company also offers Portuguese traditional dishes like Bacalhau à Brás, Bacalhau com Natas, Arroz de Pato, and Pastéis de Nata.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Frozen Fish (Peixe)
• Frozen Mollusks (Moluscos) Frozen mollusks produced and sold by Gelpeixe to B2B customers as part of its frozen seafood portfolio.
• Frozen Shellfish (Marisco) Frozen shellfish products sold by Gelpeixe to foodservice, retail, and distribution customers as part of its frozen seafood range.
• Pre-cooked Frozen Dishes (Pré-Cozinhados) Pre-cooked frozen dishes manufactured by Gelpeixe for foodservice operators and retailers seeking ready-to-heat menu items.
• Frozen Vegetables (Vegetais) Frozen vegetable products manufactured and sold by Gelpeixe to B2B foodservice and retail customers.
• Frozen Meats (Carnes) Frozen meat products sold by Gelpeixe to B2B foodservice and retail customers.
• Frozen Sweets (Doces) Frozen sweet products manufactured and sold by Gelpeixe to B2B foodservice and retail customers.
• Frozen Savory Pastries (Salgados) Frozen savory pastry products manufactured and sold by Gelpeixe to B2B foodservice and retail customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• >65M€ annual sales
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSC certification partnership for sustainable seafood sourcing. Products carrying the MSC blue eco-label come from fisheries that have been independently certified to MSC's science-based standard for environmentally sustainable fishing.
• Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASC certification partnership for responsible aquaculture sourcing, complementing MSC wild-caught fish certification.
• UniversitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with universities for education initiatives, including internships, student awards, and leadership academy programs.
• Mar2030 Programme - Gelfish4futurecoreOthersEU Mar2030 funded project for innovative and greener fish processing technology. Project focuses on scaling up sustainable fish processing methods.
• PRR - #Construir o FuturocoreOthersPortuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan project focused on building sustainable business practices and future growth.
• Associação Duarte TarréminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational association named after a family member, promoting education and leadership development.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Frinsa: Spanish frozen seafood and canned fish manufacturer serving retail and foodservice channels across Europe. Closely comparable to Gelpeixe in vertical integration from sourcing through frozen processing and B2B distribution.
• Marfrío: Portuguese/Spanish frozen seafood processor and distributor with a multi-category product range including fish, shellfish, and pre-prepared products. Direct competitor to Gelpeixe in Iberian frozen seafood B2B markets with similar export orientation.
• Pescanova: Spanish-based frozen seafood company offering a broad portfolio of fish, shellfish, and prepared seafood products across Europe and globally. Directly comparable to Gelpeixe in product mix (frozen fish, mollusks, pre-cooked) and B2B foodservice/retail channels.
• High Liner Foods: North American frozen seafood processor and marketer with branded and private-label products sold to retail and foodservice. Comparable in product portfolio (frozen fish, prepared seafood), B2B go-to-market, and reliance on sustainable sourcing certifications.
• Clearwater Seafoods: Canadian shellfish and frozen seafood company focused on wild-caught clams, scallops, and crustaceans with global B2B distribution. Overlaps with Gelpeixe in the shellfish/mollusks category and in serving international foodservice customers.
• Frosta AG: German frozen food manufacturer offering fish, vegetables, and ready meals with a strong sustainability and 'no additives' positioning. Comparable to Gelpeixe in European frozen B2B reach, certification-led marketing, and value-added prepared meal lines.

Broad incumbents

• Nomad Foods: Europe's largest frozen food company (owner of Iglo, Findus brands) with a wide portfolio including fish, vegetables, and ready meals. Overlaps with Gelpeixe in frozen fish/seafood and prepared meals but operates at vastly larger scale and with branded consumer reach.
• Austevoll Seafood: Norwegian seafood group with vertical integration across fishing, processing, and distribution of frozen whitefish, pelagic, and value-added seafood. Comparable in frozen seafood manufacturing and B2B export focus, though with a stronger North Atlantic raw-sourcing footprint.
• Thai Union Group: Global seafood group producing frozen and canned seafood for retail, foodservice, and pet food. Comparable to Gelpeixe in frozen fish/shellfish processing and export-driven B2B model, though at significantly larger scale and global reach.

Regional players

• Iberianfish (Stolt Sea Farm / Cermaq): Aquaculture-based salmon and other seafood producers with European processing. Relevant as both a potential supplier and comparable in ASC-certified aquaculture sourcing that Gelpeixe relies on, though not a direct competitor in finished frozen B2B products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/gelpeixe
• Xx.com/GelpeixeSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Gelpeixe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gelpeixe

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Gelpeixe