Cape Ann Seafood Exchange

What Cape Ann Seafood Exchange does

Cape Ann Seafood Exchange, Inc. (CASE) is a privately-held seafood processor and daily online auction operator headquartered at a 4-acre, 40,000 square foot waterfront facility in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Founded in 2002 by owner Kristian Kristiansen, the company sources wild harvested seafood directly from approximately 20 local day boats and 15 offshore vessels along the Eastern seaboard, processing up to 200,000 pounds per day. Its core product portfolio spans seven categories—winter skate, Atlantic spiny dogfish, monkfish, redfish (ocean perch), whiting (silver hake), Atlantic hagfish, and specialty seafood (lobster, scallops, cod, haddock, sole)—available fresh and frozen year-round.

The facility is equipped with HACCP-, EU-, and USDC-certified infrastructure including an IQF nitrogen tunnel freezer, ozone treatment system, computerized boat-to-plate traceability, and state-of-the-art grading equipment. CASE operates a dual distribution model: a daily online auction platform connecting local fishermen with approximately 30 approved buyers worldwide, and direct B2B sales to wholesale distributors, restaurant chains, supermarkets, and food service operators across North America, Europe, and Asia via air, sea, and land shipping. The company holds HACCP, EU, and USDC certifications and was directly involved in the MSC certification process for Atlantic spiny dogfish.

Revenue is generated through auction-based seafood trading and direct wholesale sales on a unit-pricing, pay-as-you-go basis with custom packaging available. The company received a $391,670 NOAA Saltonstall Kennedy Grant in 2014 to develop a sustainable Gulf of Maine redfish fishery. A related entity, Cape Ann Fuel & Ice, Co., under common ownership, provides ice, fuel, and dockage services to local fishing vessels, vertically integrating CASE's waterfront presence. The business operates with approximately 8 employees.

Name

Cape Ann Seafood Exchange

Legal name

Cape Ann Seafood Exchange, Inc.

Website

https://capeannseafoodexchange.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cape Ann Seafood Exchange is a privately-held Gloucester, Massachusetts seafood processor and daily online auction operator that sources wild seafood from local day boats and offshore vessels, processing up to 200,000 pounds daily for wholesale distributors, restaurant chains, and supermarkets across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seafood Processing

NAICS

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (311710), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (424460)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen) (AFAIADAD)

Keywords

• Seafood processing
• Wild seafood
• Seafood auction
• Fish wholesale
• Seafood distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Gloucester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Seafood Processing and Sales: Primary revenue from processing and selling wild harvested seafood landed from local day boats and offshore vessels. Products include monkfish, dogfish, redfish, whiting, winter skate, Atlantic hagfish, and specialty seafood. Revenue generated through daily online auction for approved buyers and direct sales to wholesale distributors, restaurant chains, and supermarkets across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cape Ann Seafood Exchange buys, processes, and sells wild harvested seafood — including monkfish, dogfish, redfish, whiting, winter skate, Atlantic hagfish, and specialty species — sourced from local day boats and offshore vessels along the Eastern seaboard. The company operates a HACCP-, EU-, and USDC-certified 4-acre, 40,000-square-foot waterfront facility in Gloucester, Massachusetts, capable of processing up to 200,000 pounds daily, and conducts a daily online auction connecting fishermen with approximately 30 approved buyers worldwide.

Product overview

Cape Ann Seafood Exchange (CASE) operates as a wild harvested seafood supplier and daily online auction based in Gloucester, Massachusetts—America's oldest working commercial fishing port. The company sources products from local day boats and offshore vessels along the Eastern seaboard. The core product portfolio includes seven distinct seafood categories: Winter Skate, Dogfish (Atlantic Spiny Dogfish), Monkfish, Redfish (Ocean Perch), Whiting (Silver Hake), Atlantic Hagfish (Slime Eel), and Specialty Seafood (lobster, scallops, cod, haddock, sole). Products are graded, processed, and packed at their HACCP & EU approved waterfront facility, available fresh and frozen year-round. CASE serves as both a seafood auction facilitating fisherman-to-buyer transactions and a primary processor supplying wholesale distributors, restaurant chains, supermarkets, and international markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Winter Skate Cartilaginous fish primarily harvested for its wings, also prepared as fillets. Popular within European and Asian markets. Sourced fresh and frozen from local day boats and offshore vessels along the Eastern seaboard and processed at the HACCP- and EU-certified waterfront facility.
• Dogfish (Atlantic Spiny Dogfish) Squalus acanthias popular in the US, Asia, and Europe. Served as filet with a texture similar to haddock. Sourced from an MSC-certified sustainable fishery in which Cape Ann Seafood Exchange played a direct role in the certification process.
• Monkfish Lophius americanus, sweet and meaty. Historically known as 'poor man's lobster' and now popular in culinary circles. High in protein, low in fat. Processed and packed at the CASE waterfront facility.
• Redfish (Ocean Perch) Sebastes fasciatus, deep water fish with firm, white flesh. Functions as a substitute for haddock. Low in fat and calories. Gulf of Maine-harvested sustainable initiative supported by a $391,670 NOAA Saltonstall Kennedy Grant in 2014.
• Whiting (Silver Hake) Merluccius bilinearis, a small relative of the cod fish. Often grilled whole and used for fish cakes. Sweet and mild flavor. Processed at the CASE waterfront facility.
• Atlantic Hagfish (Slime Eel) Myxine glutinosa, popular in Korean BBQ and stir fry recipes. Available as live-frozen-at-sea and live-land-frozen product. Processed at the CASE waterfront facility.
• Specialty Seafood Custom orders including lobster, scallops, cod, haddock, and sole. Premium local wild stock available. Sourced and processed at the CASE waterfront facility for wholesale distributors, restaurant chains, and supermarkets.
• Daily Online Seafood Auction Daily online auction platform connecting local fishermen (approximately 20 day boats and 15 offshore vessels) with approximately 30 approved buyer companies worldwide. Main species traded include cod, haddock, pollock, redfish, hake, dabs, grey sole, and blackbacks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processes up to 200,000 pounds of harvests each day
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCape Ann Seafood Exchange supports the MSC environmental standard developed using FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. The company was directly involved in the certification process of Atlantic spiny dogfish sustainable fishery. CASE was an active proponent of dogfish MSC certification.
• Fishing Vessels (Local Day Boats and Offshore Vessels)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with approximately 20 local day boats and 15 offshore vessels along the Eastern seaboard supplying daily catches for processing. Direct buying relationships ensure preferential access to fresh catches.
• Import/Export AgentsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLogistical network includes relationships with import/export agents who expedite customs clearance processes for foreign shipments to Europe and Asia markets.
• Cape Ann Fuel & Ice, Co.minorOthersSame ownership (Kristian Kristiansen) provides ice, fuel, dockage, and other services to local fishing vessels at competitive prices on Gloucester's working waterfront.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Quirch Foods: Miami-based broad-line seafood and meat distributor; overlaps with CASE in supplying wholesale distributors and food service operators, though much larger and more diversified.
• Inland Seafood: Atlanta-based seafood processor and distributor with broad product portfolio and value-added capabilities; comparable in HACCP-certified processing and supply to retail/foodservice channels, though significantly larger and more diversified.
• Seattle Fish Company: Denver-based seafood distributor with national reach and sustainability focus (MSC CoC certified); comparable in wild-caught wholesale and sustainability leadership, but operates broader geographic distribution.
• National Fish & Seafood: Large North American seafood processor and distributor offering broad species portfolio and value-added services; broader in scale than CASE but overlaps in wild-caught finfish processing and wholesale distribution to foodservice and retail.

Direct peers

• East Coast Seafood Group: Lynn, MA-based seafood processor and distributor sourcing domestic and imported species for retail and foodservice; comparable in wild-caught product mix, HACCP processing, and New England supply chain.
• Channel Fish Processing Co. Massachusetts-based seafood processor and wholesaler specializing in fresh and frozen finfish (cod, haddock, pollock, flounder); directly comparable in species mix, processing capabilities, and foodservice/wholesale customer base.
• Stavis Seafoods: Boston, MA-based wholesale seafood distributor serving restaurants and retailers across North America; comparable in product mix (wild-caught finfish and shellfish), customer base, and HACCP-certified processing/distribution.
• Gloucester Fish Auction (formerly Cape Ann Gloucester Wholesale Fish Auction): Also operates a daily fish auction in Gloucester, MA, sourcing from local day boats and offshore vessels; directly comparable business model and geographic footprint to CASE.

Emerging players

• Atlantic Sea Farms: Maine-based sustainable aquaculture and kelp/seafood company; adjacent in New England sustainable seafood and works with MSC-type frameworks, though focused on farmed rather than wild-caught product.
• Fortune Fish & Gourmet: Mid-sized specialty seafood and gourmet foods distributor; comparable in supplying restaurants and retailers with quality wild-caught seafood, though more focused on premium/specialty rather than commodity species.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cape-ann-seafood-exchange

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Cape Ann Seafood Exchange