Rancho Dominguez, California, U.S.A.-based Santa Monica Seafood and Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based Lagoon Seafood have completed expansion projects.
In February 2023, Santa Monica Seafood began construction on a new 26,000-sqaure-foot facility in Elkridge, Maryland, U.S.A. The seafood production, packaging, and warehousing facility has now been completed, according to Krusinski Construction Company.
“Following a partial demolition, the facility was fitted with the proper underground plumbing, electrical service, floor drainage and sanitary lines to accommodate cooled and freezer spaces, packaging lines, ambient rooms, refrigeration equipment and doors rated for temperatures ranging from negative 10 degrees Fahrenheit to 42 degrees Fahrenheit,” it said.
The USD 8 million (EUR 7.4 million) renovation also included a 4,460-square-foot office buildout, the addition of polyurethane floors and insulated metal panels with concrete curbs, a newly installed glycol system, and encased temperature lights across various heights.
“We are excited to see that Santa Monica Seafood continues to expand its operations nationwide. We are equally excited that Krusinski Construction continues to support Santa Monica Seafood by providing expertise in these type of projects with unique and stringent requirements,” Krusinski Construction Project Manager Brian Heinrich said.
Santa Monica Seafood surpassed USD 600 million (EUR 552 million) in revenue in 2022 and anticipates passing USD 700 million in revenue in 2023, President and CEO Roger O’Brien told SeafoodSource in January 2023.
“Since launching our skin-packed seafood program in 2016 in Los Angeles and again in 2018 in Chicago, we have seen explosive growth and tremendous support from our retail partners for chilled, case-ready seafood,” O’Brien said. “Opening this third location and expanding our services and capabilities to the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions will give us delivery coverage to approximately 40 states, all within a maximum 48 hours of the pack date.”
North of the U.S.-Canada border, Lagoon Seafood has completed a CAD 10 million (USD 7.3 million, EUR 6.7 million) expansion of its Granby, Quebec production facility. Lagoon Seafood is a fresh and frozen seafood distributor, importer, exporter, and processor that recently committed to a shift to value-added products.
The renovated space has more storage, new production rooms, a spiral freezer, and is equipped with state-of-the-art processing and packaging technology, according to Lagoon Seafood Business Research Manager Michael Cheaib.
"The completion of this project propels us forward in ways we could only dream of a few years ago," Cheaib said. "Our expanded Granby facility is at the core of our company's expansion into Ontario, Western Canada, and the United States to meet our new levels of customer demand. The renovated and expanded facility will support our commitment to bring new product lines across our market to respond to our customers' needs most effectively."
The facility will primarily be used to supply its Blue Tide branded products, as well as private-label products, according to Cheaib. It will be used to support Lagoon’s expansion into Ontario, Canada, and the furtherance of sales of value-added products from Aliments Azure – Azure foods, a branch of Lagoon in Granby, into the U.S.
"We are proud of the facility and pleased with the outcome," Cheaib said. "But the focus has always been and continues to be our people. We believe in our staff and our partners. We value their tireless work to bring the customer the best selection of fresh and frozen seafood products. This mission requires the latest tools and technologies – to get the product in and out efficiently and consistently."
Photo courtesy of Lagoon Seafood
