CenSea’s acquisition of Ocean Garden’s brand portfolio will leverage the distributor’s market presence and product variety to deliver diverse offerings into new markets, according to CenSea’s Co-Presidents Nate Torch and Jeff Stern and Ocean Garden’s President and CEO Celso Lopez.
“The integration consolidates complementary brand portfolios, giving customers greater variety and flexibility across product categories and price points. Ocean Garden’s premium positioning in wild-caught shrimp paired with CenSea’s strength in Asian and global sourcing creates a differentiated offering that balances quality, cost and reliability – critical factors in retail and food service decision-making,” the executives shared in a written statement.
Both CenSea (founded in 1960) and Ocean Garden (established 1957) have long histories in the seafood space and established relationships. Following the acquisition, Ocean Garden’s sales and operations teams will merge with CenSea so customers can continue working with the same team they have relied on for years in both Mexico and the US, the executives explained.
Retailers and food service operators now will have a wider selection of shrimp, from premium wild-caught shrimp from Mexico to farmed shrimp from Asia. The executives added that the acquisition also will make it easier to keep shelves stocked and orders filled thanks to a combined distribution network with an internal technology-driven supply chain system powered by Captain Fresh, Censea’s parent company.
Captain Fresh’s plug-and-play technology improves traceability, efficiency and scalability
In response to the seafood industry’s fragmented business model where transparency can be limited, Captain Fresh developed its own supply chain technology to streamline operations. It does this by controlling key parts of the seafood supply chain across different regions and species, ensuring better traceability and sustainability, according to the executives.
“By introducing traceability, efficiency and scalability, we are solving some of the industry’s most pressing challenges. The Captain Fresh Platform captures over 800 data points per order. It’s plug-and-play, adaptable and built for global scalability, ensuring that any seafood player we’re partnering with (or acquiring) can get onboarded,” they explained in an email.
Currently Captain Fresh’s supply chain spans 25 countries within the US, Europe and Middle East being their primary buyers. Now, the group is expanding its network to include Mexico and Ecuador, integrating the businesses into its tech-driven supply system. This broad reach allows for Captain Fresh to supply seafood year-round, regardless of seasonal or regional challenges, according to the executives.
By consolidating procurement within Captain Fresh’s supply chain, the company can better control costs, the executives said. This includes buying in bulk for better pricing, optimizing logistics and tracking inventory in real time – a critical point in an industry affected by fuel price volatility, climate-related disruptions and shifting regulations, the executives said.
