In collaboration with Vietnamese shrimp firm Minh Phu, U.S. frozen seafood importer and distributor CenSea has debuted a new premium shrimp brand targeting restaurant chefs and other high-end buyers.
The range, called CenSea Reserve and using Minh Phu-produced shrimp products, includes raw, easy-peel vannamei shrimp in 8/12, 13/15, and 16/20 counts, as well as raw, easy-peel black tiger prawns in 13/15 and 16/20 counts, all of which is Best Aquaculture Practices-certified, CenSea said in a release.
According to CenSea Co-President Jeff Stern, the launch of CenSea Reserve is a strategic move to disrupt the premium segment.
“By leveraging Minh Phu’s unique aquaculture and processing breakthroughs, we are not just adding a SKU; we are creating a new gold standard,” he said.
Unlike conventional supply chains, the shrimp included in the new line of products are raised in ponds filled with ocean water and carefully balanced salinity that closely mirrors their natural habitat, CenSea said.
“Each shrimp is delicately harvested and swiftly transported with a live oxygen supply from farm to factory. They are then stunned using advanced Japanese-inspired [ikejime] techniques and processed swiftly with minimal water contact to lock in maximum freshness and a pristine texture,” the company said.
Anchoring this production is Minh Phu’s MPBio technology, which the Vietnamese firm implemented in 2024 in a transition away from intensive methods of shrimp production to technology it said at the time was more sustainable and would mitigate both skyrocketing production costs and biological challenges.
“CenSea Reserve is the outcome of asking a very direct question: What does premium actually mean, and how do you make it repeatable at scale?” CenSea Co-President Nate Torch said. “The brand was built end to end – from how shrimp are raised to how they are frozen fresh at catch – with the goal of delivering a consistently superior product.”
CenSea Reserve marks the first new brand introduced since CenSea was acquired by the Captain Fresh Group in early 2024.
Along with Captain Fresh, CenSea said the new brand reflects “a shared ambition to build a differentiated, value-led powerhouse of seafood brands backed by deep supply chain technology expertise,” CenSea said.
