COPELIT

What COPELIT does

COPELIT (Complexe de Pêche du Littoral) is a 100% Moroccan, privately held fishing and seafood processing group founded in 1986 and headquartered across the southern provinces of Morocco. The group operates a fully vertically integrated value chain — from capture through processing, cold storage, and distribution — controlling an owned fleet of 6 RSW (Refrigerated Sea Water) trawlers based at Dakhla port and 14 coastal fishing vessels, four manufacturing and processing sites (Dakhla, Laâyoune, Agadir, Tantan, Berrechid), and three logistics subsidiaries (Damsa Logistique, Golden Logistique, Delta Transport) that together provide more than 30,000 tons of cold storage capacity across 9,024 m². As of the latest reporting it employs more than 2,250 collaborators and exports over 2,000 containers of frozen fish per year to international markets alongside domestic Moroccan wholesale and retail distribution.

The company's product portfolio spans four core categories: fresh seafood; frozen products in HG(T) (Headed, Gutted, Tail-less), whole-frozen, and IQF (Individual Quick Frozen) formats; canned seafood produced across three canning units (the COPELIT facility, Pelagic Pro at Dakhla inaugurated in 2022, and Tunamax at Berrechid launching in 2025); and fish meal plus Omega-3-rich fish oil in feed grade and food grade, processed at Laâyoune and Dakhla. Production technology centers on the RSW fleet for capture-stage freshness preservation, IQF for downstream shelf life and handling, and capacity of approximately 150 tons per 24 hours per freezing unit with up to 2,000 tons of storage per unit. The fish meal and fish oil facilities carry MarinTrust, Friend of the Sea, GMP+, ISO 22000, and ISO 9001 certifications, which gate access to aquaculture, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic ingredient buyers internationally.

COPELIT generates revenue through B2B channels across three horizontal customer segments: international wholesale and distribution buyers (its primary segment for the 2,000+ container annual frozen fish exports), domestic Moroccan wholesale and retail networks, and industrial clients purchasing fish meal and Omega-3 fish oil as raw material inputs. The group invests more than €2 million annually in innovation and infrastructure improvement. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the company has no consumer-facing digital channels, no app, no public API, and no disclosed funding rounds. Ownership structure is opaque and remains an information gap for investors.

Name

COPELIT

Legal name

Complexe de Pêche du Littoral (COPELIT)

Website

https://copelit.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

COPELIT is a 100% Moroccan, privately held seafood group operating since 1986, vertically integrating pelagic fishing, freezing, canning, fish meal/oil production, and cold-chain logistics across facilities in Dakhla, Laâyoune, Agadir, Tantan, and Berrechid, exporting 2,000+ frozen fish containers annually to international distributors and domestic buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seafood Processing and Distribution

NAICS

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), Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh & Frozen Seafood Fillets (Portioned, Skinless/Boneless) (AFANALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refrigerated Meat & Seafood (Processed/Packaged) (CRADACAK), Frozen Seafood Meals & Value-Added Seafood (CRADADAG), Value-Added Seafood Packaging (MAP/Vacuum, Portion Packs, Private Label) (AFANADAM), Specialty Seafood Co-Products Processing (Roe, Milt, Heads, Frames, Shellfish Meat Recovery) (AFANAJAI)

Keywords

• Seafood processing
• Frozen fish products
• Pelagic fish canning
• Fish meal production
• Cold chain logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Dakhla

HQ country

Morocco

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Seafood Product Sales: Revenue from sale of fresh, frozen, and canned seafood products including sardines, mackerel, and other pelagic fish species. The company operates 3 canning production units and freezing facilities.
2. Fish Meal and Fish Oil Production: Production and sale of fish meal and fish oil (Omega-3 rich) for animal feed (feed grade) and human nutrition (food grade) markets. Operates through Copelit Laayoune and Pelagic Pro Dakhla facilities.
3. Logistics and Distribution Services: Logistics and cold storage services through subsidiaries Damsa Logistique, Golden Logistique, and Delta Transport. Cold storage capacity of more than 30,000 tons.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

COPELIT is a vertically integrated Moroccan seafood group that operates its own fishing fleet (6 RSW trawlers and 14 coastal vessels) to capture, process, and distribute fresh, frozen, and canned seafood products (sardines, mackerel, tuna) along with fish meal and fish oil (Omega-3 rich) for animal feed and human nutrition markets. The group runs 3 canning production units, freezing facilities, and logistics/cold storage operations spanning Laâyoune and Dakhla, serving both domestic Moroccan and international export markets.

Product overview

COPELIT is a 100% Moroccan fishing and seafood processing group operating since 1986, with over 2,250 employees. The company operates a vertically integrated business spanning its own fishing fleet (6 RSW trawlers and 14 coastal vessels), fresh seafood processing, frozen products (HG(T), IQF, Whole Frozen formats), canned products (through COPELIT, Pelagic Pro, and upcoming Tunamax facilities), and fish meal/fish oil production. Logistics operations via Damsa Logistique, Golden Logistique, and Delta Transport provide over 30,000 tons of cold storage capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Seafood Products Fresh seafood products including sardines and other pelagic species sourced from COPELIT's own fishing fleet operating in Moroccan waters, sold to distributors and food service buyers.
• Frozen Seafood Products (HG(T), IQF, Whole Frozen) Frozen seafood offered in three formats: HG(T) (Headed, Gutted, Tail-less) for industrial processors, Whole Frozen for wholesale distribution, and IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) for easy handling and storage. Each format meets international market requirements.
• Canned Seafood Products Canned seafood products produced across three manufacturing units (COPELIT, Pelagic Pro at Dakhla, and the planned Tunamax unit at Berrechid) under multiple brands serving national and international markets.
• Fish Meal and Fish Oil Fish meal and Omega-3-rich fish oil (EPA, DHA) produced from sardines and mackerel at COPELIT Laâyoune and Pelagic Pro Dakhla facilities, certified MarinTrust, Friend of the Sea, GMP+, ISO 22000, and ISO 9001. Fish oil available in feed grade (animal feed) and food grade (human nutrition) with low free fatty acid content and natural vitamins A and D.
• Logistics and Cold Storage Services Cold chain logistics services provided through wholly-owned subsidiaries Damsa Logistique, Golden Logistique, and Delta Transport, offering negative temperature storage capacity exceeding 30,000 tons across Laâyoune and Dakhla facilities spanning 9,024 m².

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual production capacity of 150 tons per 24 hours per freezing unit with 2,000 tons storage per unit
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Icelandic Pelagic (Iceland): Icelandic pelagic fish processor producing frozen, canned, and meal/oil products from mackerel, herring, and capelin. Highly comparable in product mix and processing focus, though Icelandic operates in North Atlantic fisheries.
• Pescanova: Spanish vertically integrated seafood company involved in fishing, processing, and distribution of frozen and value-added seafood products. Direct comparable in operating model and pelagic/frozen product focus, though Pescanova operates in different fisheries.
• Clearwater Seafoods: Canadian vertically integrated seafood company owning fishing vessels, processing plants, and distribution across shellfish and finfish. Comparable in vertical integration and seafood processing, with similar mid-cap scale though focused on premium shellfish.

Broad incumbents

• Maruha Nichiro: One of Japan's largest seafood conglomerates, vertically integrated from fishing through processing and distribution of canned, frozen, and value-added seafood. Highly comparable business model to COPELIT, with much greater scale and species breadth.
• Austevoll Seafood: Norwegian vertically integrated seafood group with operations in fishing, farming, and value-added processing. Comparable vertically integrated model, though more concentrated in pelagic and salmon rather than warm-water species.
• Pola Orbis Holdings / Nichirei (if applicable): Major Japanese frozen food and seafood processor with vertically integrated operations. Comparable in frozen seafood and value-added processing, though much larger and serves primarily Asian markets.
• Nissui (Nippon Suisan Kaisha): Japanese integrated seafood group with global operations in fishing, aquaculture, processing, and frozen/canned foods. Comparable vertically integrated model with broader portfolio and larger capital base.
• Thai Union Group: Global seafood giant operating across canned tuna, frozen seafood, and fish meal/oil. Compares on canned pelagic and seafood processing scale, though Thai Union is far larger and more diversified across geographies and species.

Emerging players

• CV Prima (Indonesia): Indonesian seafood processor focused on canned and frozen seafood for export. Comparable in processing scale and product mix (canned tuna, pelagic), though with less upstream fishing control.

Regional players

• Moroccan Seafood Producers (regional): Regional Moroccan pelagic fishing and seafood processing companies operating in the same southern Atlantic fishing zones (Dakhla, Laâyoune, Agadir). Direct competitors for raw catch and similar customer base in canned and frozen seafood exports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/copelit

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries7 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 COPELIT