Maine Coast honored with prestigious presidential award for expanding US exports

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross recognized York, Maine, U.S.A.-based lobster supplier Maine Coast with the President’s “E” Award for Exports on 23 May, for the company’s demonstrated national leadership in expanding export markets for the country. 

Forty-eight companies total were honored by Secretary Ross with the President’s “E” Award, “the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports,” Maine Coast said. The company’s commitment to sustaining exports and opening new markets made it an ideal recipient for the honor, according to Ross. 

“Maine Coast has demonstrated a sustained commitment to export expansion. The ‘E’ Awards Committee was very impressed with Maine Coast's efforts to sustain exports by opening new markets to lessen the impact of increased foreign tariffs in some of the company's existing markets. The company's investment in logistics facilities and processes vital to further development of its export business was also particularly notable. Maine Coast's achievements have undoubtedly contributed to national export expansion efforts that support the U.S. economy and create American jobs,” Ross wrote in his congratulatory letter to Maine Coast. 

“Maine Coast is a leader in exports for the State of Maine,” confirmed Jeff Porter, Director of the Maine US Export Assistance Center. “The U.S. Commercial Service has worked with many Maine companies and is pleased that a leader in the lobster export business has been recognized nationally.”

A global distributor of North Atlantic live lobster, Maine Coast works with a vast network of suppliers and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities in key coastal locations. The company has customers in over 29 countries worldwide, it said. Maine Coast owner Tom Adams said his company takes great pride in providing iconic, sustainable lobster to so many around the world.  

“We are honored to receive the ‘E’ Award for Exports. The company is proud to represent an iconic product recognized around the world for quality and our sustainable lobster fishery,” Adams said.  “Maine Coast’s growth in the export market is the result of our dedicated team, their focus on the customer, and consistently delivering quality. We will continue to expand domestically, in our current export markets, and develop new customers worldwide.”

This isn’t the first time that Maine Coast has been recognized for its exporting prowess. In 2018, the company was named Exporter of the Year by the Maine International Trade Center (MITC). In 2018, U.S. exports were the highest on record, with services valued at USD 821.1 billion (EUR 732.8 billion) and exports of goods reaching USD 1.7 trillion (EUR 1.5 trillion), according to the Maine Coast press release. 

“It is no surprise that Maine Coast, a leader in lobster exports has received this award,” said MITC President Wade Merritt last year. “This is a smart, nimble company that recognizes the value in strong relationships around the world in delivering one of Maine’s iconic brands and first-class quality products – Maine Lobster.”  

American companies are nominated for “E” Awards through the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service office network, located within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. Record years of successive export growth and an applicant’s demonstration of an innovative international marketing plan that led to the increases in exports is a significant factor in selecting the overall winners, the press release noted.