Bielsk, Poland-based salmon smoking company Suempol has acquired Belgian shrimp-processing company Van Biesen & Pieters.
Suempol is one of the largest salmon-processing companies in the world and, according to the firm, is the oldest smoked salmon company in Poland. The company has in recent years begun to branch into other products and, in October 2024, acquired U.K.-based seafood-processing firm Copernus Fresh Fish.
Suempol said the latest acquisition of Van Biesen & Pieters will allow the company to further expand its portfolio of products with a new product segment. The company said it has been operating as a seafood processor since 1989, and its beginnings were connected to the processing and exporting of shrimp to both The Netherlands and Belgium.
“The addition of Van Biesen & Pieters to the Suempol family is a special event for us, as it signifies a return to our tradition. More than 30 years have passed since shrimp last left our production plant,” Suempol Management Board Vice President Maciej Jaworowski said in a release. “Today, with great satisfaction, we revitalize shrimp preparation and distribution, recognizing the vast potential and new growth perspectives for the entire Suempol Group.”
Van Biesen & Pieters has been operating since the 1940s, and according to Suempol, in recent years, the company has managed to quadruple its revenue. It offers multiple different shrimp products, including wild-caught North Sea shrimp.
“We believe that the experience and reputation of Van Biesen & Pieters in the Belgian market will be an important asset in strengthening our international position,” Jaworowski said.
He added that the current owners will remain on board the company through the transition and will participate in the joint development of the company under Suempol.
“After four generations, Suempol continues our family heritage. We share the same values, passion for quality, and customer care, which is why I believe that together we will be able to strengthen our foundations, expand our reach, and provide our customers with products that meet the highest standards,” Van Biesen & Pieters Managing Director Anthony Pieters said. “With production plants and offices in Poland, Germany, Norway, France, the United Kingdom, and now also in Belgium, we are reinforcing our position as one of Europe’s leading family-owned seafood companies.”
Jaworowski said the acquisition shares similar goals as the company’s prior acquisition of Copernus and will allow Suempol to increase its offerings and better meet customers' needs as it works to build “an ever-wider range of premium-quality products.”
The exact terms of the deal were not disclosed.
