
Bristol Seafood CEO eyes growth in retail category
The company recently invested in its Maine facility to improve offerings for a broader client base.
Maine-based Bristol Seafood has a balanced mix of retail and foodservice customers, but it expects to grow its customer base in the retail space in particular in the coming months.
Bristol President and CEO Peter Handy told IntraFish the company is seeing growth across its company's four seafood categories, which include scallops, line-caught haddock, line-caught cod and wild Maine mussels.
"We're bringing on new customers looking for quality products," he said.
Part of the company's strategy to grow its retail customer base has included an investment in its marketing. The company named Iréne Moon as vice president of marketing in September. Moon, who came to the role from UK-based seafood brand Saucy Fish, told IntraFish part of her efforts would be to expand company's reach with retailers.
In addition, Bristol will expand its offerings with an investment in its Portland processing facility. Bristol earlier this year partnered with the Maine Technology Institute, and will invest nearly $5 million (€4 million) in the facility over the next three years.
"We've got a growing customer base and people are looking at us to provide more products and new products, not just a bigger facility, but a better facility," Handy said of the investment.