Thanks to a confluence of factors including Canadians seeking more domestic products and massive growth in Canadian e-commerce sales, Toronto, Ontario, Canada-based direct-to-consumer seafood firm Larry’s Catch is expanding its delivery network across the country.
Formed in early 2024 by Glen Creaser, along with James Quinn and Javier Mejorada, Larry’s Catch began as a “small side hustle” delivering individually quick frozen (IQF) seafood from the eastern coastal province of Nova Scotia to Ontario, Creaser told SeafoodSource.
Creaser moved to Ontario from Nova Scotia in 2016 and soon found that the fresh, high-quality fish he grew up enjoying – his father, Larry, worked as a fifth-generation Nova Scotia fisherman – was in short supply in the landlocked province. He said he was also alarmed when he discovered that Ontarians eat just 16 pounds of seafood on average annually, compared to 44 pounds on average per capita globally.
To ensure Ontarians could have access to high-quality, domestic seafood, the company first focused on building a loyal base of customers who care about traceability, sustainability, and eating Canadian-caught seafood. According to Creaser; by September 2024, the demand had grown so quickly that Larry’s Catch became a full-time job.
Now, the company is expanding its shipping capability beyond Ontario to almost every province in the country, all of which will soon be able to enjoy such products as halibut from Nova Scotia, sockeye salmon from British Columbia, and turbot from Nunavut, among other options.
This move comes as the Canadian government under Prime Minister Mark Carney recently announced a set of strategic measures he has dubbed the Buy Canada program, aimed at responding to the impacts of U.S. trade policy.
“At this pivotal moment, we need to ensure our economy is resilient and self-reliant," Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works, and Procurement Joël Lightbound said of the new policy. "Through the new Buy Canadian policy, we are leveraging our purchasing power to strengthen domestic supply chains and drive prosperity. As we build at a speed not seen in generations, public procurement will spark growth for workers and businesses across Canada.”
Nearly 80 percent of Canadians say they prefer to buy Canadian-made products, and they are showing a clear preference for local, sustainable options. All of the seafood supplied by Larry’s Catch is sourced from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified fisheries across Canada's Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts.
“The grocery store experience just isn’t cutting it anymore. Around 80 percent of the seafood consumed in Canada is imported,” Creaser said. “Consumers are frustrated by the lack of local, traceable options. Today’s ethical and health-conscious shopper is willing to invest in food they can trust – food that supports Canadian communities, ensures sustainable practices, and delivers on taste and nutrition.”
Although Larry’s Catch has only been in operation for just over a year, its growth trajectory “has been exciting,” Creaser said, explaining that monthly sales have grown around 43 percent on average since the start of this year.
With the Canada-wide expansion, Creaser anticipates sales to at least double in the near term.
"Customers are drawn to these products not only for their exceptional quality and taste but also because of the story behind them. They’re wild-caught, sustainably harvested, and deeply tied to our roots in the fishing communities of Nova Scotia,” he said.
