Michael McNicholas is the group CEO and President of Oddisea SuperFrozen, an importer and distributor of SuperFrozen seafood – or seafood frozen at minus 76 degrees Fahrenheit that rapidly locks in quality, color, texture, and taste with zero additives. The firm, which rebranded from Culimer USA in June 2025, focuses on delivering clean, all-natural, responsible, and traceable ingredients for large sushi and seafood operators across North America.
McNicholas talked with SeafoodSource about his firm’s SuperFrozen product range, as well as the importance of sustainability and traceability in its supply chain.
SeafoodSource: Can you explain what SuperFrozen is and why the company has focused on those products?
McNicholas: For Oddisea, SuperFrozen seafood is about going above and beyond to ensure just-caught quality without the need for preservatives or treatments. The most obvious benefit is its effect on oxidation, halting the degradation of bright red hues to browns that is common in proteins like beef and tuna.
Oddisea’s SuperFrozen technology can deliver seafood that is fresher than fresh – preserved immediately after catch at a temperature where virtually all detrimental activity that could impact quality, color, and taste ceases. The added benefit of utilizing SuperFrozen technology throughout the entire supply chain is the sustainable treatment of a highly valued, limited wild resource. It allows for full utilization of each fish, predictable inventory and price forecasting, and the elimination of waste, loss, and shrinkage with proper planning and product handling.
Add in our dedication to vessel-level traceability and responsible sourcing, and it’s a win-win-win for both our customers and us.
SeafoodSource: Why have you incorporated and prioritized sustainability in your core business activities and existing control systems, and how does it return value to the company?
McNicholas: Back in 2000, I was new to seafood, and I was introduced to the term “organic” for the first time. After extensive research, I was alarmed by the many forms of product manipulation in food production, particularly in seafood, ranging from preservation chemicals to color alterations. As a father of young children, this discovery fueled my passion to advocate for clean food and led me to commit to responsible, sustainable practices.
In my own businesses, I knew that there had to be a way to sustainably and profitably integrate CSR and ESG into the procurement and sales process. We began catering to value-aligned clients. Over time, this has resulted in a shift away from traditional sales tactics. Instead, Oddisea has account relationship managers and support teams who are experts in seafood, quality, food safety, sustainability, traceability, and responsibility. Operationalized across our entire company, this has led to proactive risk management and increased supply chain assurance. We can provide consistency across availability, price, quality, and standards.
We take great pride in leading the industry toward greater accountability and transparency, working with our trusted partners to build consumer trust, confidence, and satisfaction with our products and the seafood category as a whole.
SeafoodSource: Can you give an example of a product you have that reflects this approach and value generation structure?
McNicholas: Oddisea’s SuperFrozen tuna serves as a prime example. It’s nothing but tuna – no deceptive additives, gas, or color treatments to disguise product condition. We remove the supply and quality variability that comes with fresh tuna by supporting supply chain transitions to 100 percent SuperFrozen. Our tuna purchases are fully traceable to the vessel where they are landed and core-frozen to minus 50 degrees Celsius within eight to 15 hours. Subsequent SuperFrozen processing and supply chains provide consistent inventory controls with predictable volumes, grades, pricing, and quality. They also offer solutions to fully utilize each fish and eliminate waste, loss, and shrinkage.
Going even further, the majority of our tuna comes from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified fisheries for environmental sustainability, and we work closely with our supply chain partners on vessel-level risk-tracking, on-the-ground human rights due diligence, and collective corrective action plans to drive continuous improvement where it matters the most. We know there are inherent risks with distant-water tuna fleets, and we are at the forefront working to uncover issues, stay engaged, and spur solutions. Ultimately, it’s about providing my grandkids and the next generations with the responsible product they deserve.
SeafoodSource: How does traceability improve internal oversight of and external communication about your products?
McNicholas: Traceability is fundamental to all efforts surrounding sustainability and human rights, as it ensures the delivery of comprehensive, tamper-proof information about the product's journey from harvest to plate, especially crucial when transshipment occurs on the high seas.
We have a longstanding commitment to pioneering electronic, interoperable traceability, as reflected in my personal dedication as the chair of the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST). Our aim is 100 percent digital traceability back to the vessel or farm for all of our products. We have developed supply chain maps for the vessel, starting with the highest risk products. This allows us to track and manage supply risk in near real time, identify areas like human rights due diligence that need improvement, provide comprehensive risk reports within 24 hours, and work with our suppliers to develop time-bound improvements. This work provides transparency and accountability, building trust with our customers.
SeafoodSource: What are some partners, platforms, or programs that have helped Oddisea deliver a responsible, traceable product?
McNicholas: We recognize that the industry requires a diverse range of players, and we firmly believe there's a valuable niche for everyone. We have a long list of partners, including FishWise, Sea Pact, The Global Tuna Alliance, and the United Nations Global Compact, that support us in critical areas such as human rights, sustainability, and traceability.
When it comes to sourcing, honestly, the whole global sustainability scene wouldn't be the same without the MSC. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, and we totally agree. Today, there are a plethora of sustainability standards worldwide. One might say we suffer from an anagram soup dilemma. For our company, we focus on four primary benchmarks for programs and standards: GSSI for sustainability, SSCI for human rights, GFSI for food safety, and GDST for interoperable digital traceability.
SeafoodSource: When produced responsibly, seafood has a great story to tell. Does the seafood industry undervalue sustainability as a positive differentiator in the broader protein market?
McNicholas: The seafood industry faces a major public relations hurdle, often unfairly grouped with bad actors and perceived as something to avoid for health, social, or environmental reasons. In reality, it's a diverse sector driven by dedicated individuals and innovation.
Building – or rebuilding – consumer trust is vital. The seafood industry must meet core consumer priorities, such as taste, health, and price, while also addressing the growing demand for sustainable, responsible products. Creating a simple, effective message that meets these needs can be difficult. All claims about quality, safety, and sustainability must be true, objective, and defensible, and they require supply chain traceability, transparency, and accountability. Our SuperFrozen tuna serves as a prime example of verifiable claims that address multiple consumer needs.
Consumers seek to make a positive impact through their purchases. Seafood has the potential to meet this need, but the industry needs to capitalize on it with credible, clear, unified, and easily understandable messages.
