The Stickleback Fish Co.,
Independent UK wholesale seafood supplier founded in 2005, sourcing over 850 fresh, frozen, smoked and deli lines for 1,000+ hospitality, education and healthcare customers across England via own fleet and Orderlion-powered ordering.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersHatfield, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Stickleback Fish Co., does
The Stickleback Fish Company Limited is a privately held, independent wholesale seafood supplier founded in 2005 by Ross Arnold and headquartered in a 30,000 sq ft depot in Welham Green, Hertfordshire. The company sources fresh, frozen, smoked, shellfish and deli seafood — over 850 product lines, with more than 400 in frozen alone — from day boat fishermen, UK markets, and accredited importers such as Le Lien, Atlantic Fresh and Mariner Foods. It serves over 1,000 business customers across restaurants and pubs, hotels, catering, education (including University of Cambridge colleges) and healthcare, with named accounts spanning Jamie Oliver Catherine Street, Lussmanns Restaurants and Ashridge Management College.
The business runs a sales-led B2B model with dedicated account managers, offices staffed 20 hours a day, six days a week, and a direct fleet of dual temperature-controlled vans operating across much of England on a next-day basis. Ordering is supported by phone, email, WhatsApp and the Orderlion online platform covering 2,000 lines; a parallel direct-to-consumer home delivery channel runs through fish4home.co.uk. Underpinning operations are PodFather and Webfleet for routing and telematics, NetPay for card processing, and Mailchimp for marketing communications. Pricing is quote-based with weekly updates and daily specials; payment terms include monthly accounts, weekly accounts and cash on delivery.
Revenue is generated almost entirely through transaction-based wholesale sales of seafood. Stickleback holds MSC Chain of Custody (MSC-C-53997, since 2014), ASC Chain of Custody (ASC-C-44700, 2025), SALSA, HACCP, Living Wage Foundation (since 2017) and Sedex Supplier Plus (2026) credentials, and was the first independent winner of the MSC Fresh Fish Foodservice Supplier of the Year in 2020. The company is founder-led, with Ross Arnold as CEO, Richard Hilson as COO and Bob Emmott (former Morrisons Trading Director) as Chairman; no external private equity or venture backing is disclosed.
The Stickleback Fish Co., firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Stickleback Fish Co.,
- Legal name
- The Stickleback Fish Company Limited
- Website
- https://sticklebackfish.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Independent UK wholesale seafood supplier founded in 2005, sourcing over 850 fresh, frozen, smoked and deli lines for 1,000+ hospitality, education and healthcare customers across England via own fleet and Orderlion-powered ordering.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Stickleback Fish Co., industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wholesale Seafood Distribution
- NAICS
- Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (424460)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Shellfish Wholesale (Crustaceans & Mollusks) (AFAIADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fresh & Frozen Seafood Fillets (Portioned, Skinless/Boneless) (AFANALAA), Shellfish Value-Added Products (Shucked Oysters, Mussels, Clams; Cooked/Marinated) (AFANALAK)
Keywords
Where The Stickleback Fish Co., is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hatfield
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Stickleback Fish Co., business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Wholesale Seafood Sales: The company operates as a wholesale fish and seafood supplier selling fresh, frozen, smoked, and deli seafood products to businesses. Revenue is generated through product sales with various payment terms including monthly accounts (15 days), weekly accounts (7 days), and cash on delivery.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard wholesale pricing with market-based fluctuations |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Stickleback Fish Co., product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Stickleback Fish Company is an independent wholesale seafood supplier that sources, processes, and distributes fresh, frozen, smoked, shellfish, and deli seafood to hospitality, catering, education, and healthcare businesses across England. It offers over 850 product lines with bespoke fishmonger preparation and next-day delivery through an owned dual temperature-controlled fleet, complemented by a small direct-to-consumer home delivery channel.
Product overview
The Stickleback Fish Company is an independent wholesale seafood supplier offering a portfolio of products across five categories: Fresh Fish (sourced from day boat fishermen and UK markets), Shellfish (UK-sourced mussels, clams, lobster, crab, oysters), Smoked Fish (from national and local suppliers), Frozen Fish (over 400 product lines from accredited suppliers), and Deli Products (complimentary items like seaweeds and caviar). The company delivers 6 days a week with over 850 product lines available. Products are prepared by experienced fishmongers to customer specifications and delivered via dual temperature-controlled vehicles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fresh Fish Fresh fish category supplied to B2B customers, sourced from day boat fishermen and across all major UK markets with buyers at each location for consistent quality and availability.
- Shellfish UK-sourced shellfish range including Welsh Mussels, Poole clams, Brixham crab, Native Norfolk lobster, West Mersea oysters, Dressed Cromer Crabs, and Scottish langoustines, supplied to restaurants and hospitality businesses.
- Smoked Fish Smoked fish sourced from national smokeries and local bespoke producers to meet customer needs, supplied to hospitality and catering buyers.
- Frozen Fish Frozen seafood range with over 400 product lines from accredited suppliers, including MSC Cod and Greenland Peeled Prawns, held at the company's 500-pallet frozen storage facility.
- Deli Products Complimentary pre-packed products including edible seaweeds, squid ink, and caviar to complete seafood dishes, sold to hospitality and catering customers.
- Wholesale Seafood Delivery Service Six-day-a-week next-day wholesale delivery service across much of England via owned dual temperature-controlled vehicles using PodFather and Webfleet routing and tracking, available to registered B2B accounts.
- fish4home Home Delivery Service Direct-to-consumer home delivery seafood service operated through a dedicated website (fish4home.co.uk), separate from the B2B wholesale operations.
- Bespoke Fish Preparation Service Bespoke fish preparation service by experienced fishmongers to customer specifications, used by hospitality and catering clients including for weddings and conferences.
Companies that use The Stickleback Fish Co.,
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Stickleback Fish Co., technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
The Stickleback Fish Co., partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Le Lien LimitedcoreFounded in 1992, UK's number one sourcing importer exporting 150+ tonnes of fresh fish and seafood per week. Trading relationship since 2013, forged lasting relationship built on trust with Stickleback as one of their largest and most respected customers.
- Mariner Foods Trading LtdcoreSubsidiary of Atlantic Fresh Ltd, major importer of whole fish from accredited vessels in Iceland and key supplier to Humber fish auctions. Set up in 2014 targeting key industry players. Management has 20+ years experience. Works to SALSA standard with full MSC accreditation.
- Atlantic Fresh LtdcoreMajor importer of whole fish sourced direct from accredited vessels in Iceland and key whole catch supplier to fish auctions in the Humber for over 10 years.
- Living Wage FoundationcoreSignatories since 2017, demonstrating commitment to paying Living Wage to all staff. Part of broader commitment to being an employer of choice with profit share scheme for staff engagement.
- Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)coreChain of Custody certification holder since 2014 (MSC-C-53997). Ensures traceability of certified sustainable seafood from fishery to consumer.
- Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)coreAchieved ASC accreditation in 2025 (ASC-C-44700), allowing supply of responsibly farmed seafood meeting strict environmental and social standards.
- Marine Conservation Society (MCS)minorFollow MCS guidelines on which species to use and which to avoid. UK leading charity for protection of seas, shores and wildlife.
- Sustainable Fish CitiesminorWork with Sustainable Fish Cities to determine specific sustainability requirements and policies.
- OrderlioncoreTechnology partner providing online ordering platform allowing customers to browse 2000 seafood product lines and order/pay instantly through app or website.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Stickleback Fish Co., competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Direct Seafoods: UK-based specialist seafood distributor serving restaurants, pubs, hotels and caterers with fresh and frozen fish. Comparable product range, B2B foodservice customer base, and sustainability-certified sourcing model.
- M&J Seafood: One of the UK's largest independent seafood wholesalers, supplying fresh, frozen and value-added seafood to restaurants, foodservice and retailers nationwide. Highly comparable B2B model with overlapping customer base in UK hospitality.
- Kingfisher Fresh: UK seafood specialist supplying fresh and frozen fish and shellfish to restaurants, pubs and hotels. Operates with a similarly specialist B2B focus and overlapping hospitality customer segment.
- The Fish Society: UK-based seafood specialist operating across wholesale and mail-order channels with broad fresh, frozen and shellfish assortments. Comparable product breadth and UK seafood supply chain focus, with heavier B2C weighting.
- Total Sea Foods: Independent UK seafood wholesaler distributing fresh, frozen and processed fish and shellfish to the catering and hospitality trade. Comparable product mix, B2B distribution model, and sustainability-driven sourcing approach.
- Seafresh (UK): UK seafood supplier focused on fresh and frozen fish for the foodservice industry. Similar specialist positioning, B2B customer overlap, and traceability-led sourcing proposition.
Regional players
- Welch's Fishmongers / Independent Regional Wholesalers: Long-established regional UK seafood wholesalers operating from coastal markets (e.g., Grimsby-based operations). Comparable traditional wholesale business model focused on independent hospitality customers in defined geographies.
Broad incumbents
- Bidfood: Major UK foodservice wholesaler supplying caterers, restaurants and public-sector kitchens nationwide. Competes for the same hospitality and institutional seafood spend but with a much broader portfolio and national reach.
- Brakes Group: Largest UK broadline foodservice distributor serving pubs, restaurants, hotels, schools and hospitals. Overlaps with Stickleback across hospitality and institutional customers but operates at much greater scale across all food categories.
Emerging players
- Mowi (Consumer Products / Salmon division): World's largest Atlantic salmon farmer with growing direct-to-foodservice distribution in the UK. Overlaps with Stickleback in supplying farmed seafood (salmon, trout) to UK restaurants and caterers, but competes via vertical integration rather than multi-species distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Stickleback Fish Co., social profiles
Digital presenceThe Stickleback Fish Co., compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
The Stickleback Fish Co., financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Stickleback Fish Co., leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
The Stickleback Fish Co., funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Stickleback Fish Co., M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Stickleback Fish Co.,
What does The Stickleback Fish Co., do?
The Stickleback Fish Company is an independent wholesale seafood supplier that sources, processes, and distributes fresh, frozen, smoked, shellfish, and deli seafood to hospitality, catering, education, and healthcare businesses across England. It offers over 850 product lines with bespoke fishmonger preparation and next-day delivery through an owned dual temperature-controlled fleet, complemented by a small direct-to-consumer home delivery channel.
Is The Stickleback Fish Co., a public or private company?
The Stickleback Fish Co., is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Stickleback Fish Co., founded?
The Stickleback Fish Co., was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Stickleback Fish Co., based?
The Stickleback Fish Co., is headquartered in Hatfield, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Stickleback Fish Co., make money?
One revenue line is on record: wholesale Seafood Sales.
Who are The Stickleback Fish Co.,'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Direct Seafoods, M&J Seafood, Kingfisher Fresh, The Fish Society, Total Sea Foods and Seafresh (UK). Welch's Fishmongers / Independent Regional Wholesalers is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Bidfood and Brakes Group. Mowi (Consumer Products / Salmon division) is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Stickleback Fish Co., have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Stickleback Fish Co.,.
What industry is The Stickleback Fish Co., in?
The Stickleback Fish Co.,'s product category is Wholesale Seafood Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIADAF, Shellfish Wholesale (Crustaceans & Mollusks), with a secondary code of AFANALAA, Fresh & Frozen Seafood Fillets (Portioned, Skinless/Boneless). Its NAICS code is 42446 and its SIC code is 5140.