The Jim Pattison Food Group
Introduction
Canadian Fishing Company – Canada’s largest producer of wild salmon and herring roe – harvests and processes premium quality seafood from the Pacific coast of British Columbia and Alaska. The company markets its products worldwide and, after over 100 years operating in the Pacific fisheries, it remains a leader in the industry.
Canadian Fishing Company
Based in Vancouver harbour, Canadian Fishing Company (Canfisco) owns and operates two major processing plants in Vancouver and one plant in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Canfisco also owns and operates the largest fleet of commercial fishing vessels in British Columbia and procures additional fish from hundreds of independent vessel operators throughout the province. Alaska General Seafoods (AGS), Canfisco’s US affiliate, is a major participant in Alaska’s wild salmon and herring business, operating two processing plants, one in Ketchikan, Southeast Alaska, and one in Naknek, Western Alaska.
At the peak of the fishing season, Canfisco and AGS employ more than 2,000 people in all of their shoreside and vessel operations. Canfisco’s fishing fleet lands prime quality wild salmon, herring, halibut, black cod, groundfish and sardines in British Columbia while AGS’ fleet participates in the Alaskan roe herring and wild salmon fisheries. Canfisco is the largest producer of wild Pacific salmon and herring roe in Canada. AGS, which continues to be a major sockeye salmon processor expanded its processing operation in the growing value-added skinless and boneless canned salmon market.
Canfisco markets fresh, frozen, value-added, and canned seafood products into 24 countries worldwide. In the Canadian domestic market, Canfisco markets its canned salmon under the Gold Seal, Tea Rose and various private labels. Gold Seal also supplies a wide range of canned tuna, crab, mussels, clams, smoked oysters, wild sockeye salmon oil, and its recently launched flavoured tuna snack products. In 2007, Gold Seal became the No. 1 brand of canned salmon in Western Canada and its national market share continues to improve.
In early 2007, Canfisco formed a strategic alliance with Ocean Fisheries Limited of Vancouver, under which the two companies are working together to reduce costs and improve returns through co-operative efforts in the British Columbia fishing industry. Both companies benefited from a significantly improved roe herring business in 2007 through a joint processing operation and export sales program, and remain committed to that program in 2008.
In 2007, Canfisco also expanded Delta Pacific Seafood’s custom processing and cold storage facility in Delta, BC, making it the largest fresh, frozen and value-added sea-food processing facility in British Columbia.
