The K'ómoks Economic Development Corporation (KEDC), which is wholly owned by the K'ómoks First Nation, will purchase Aquatec Seafoods Ltd. effective Jan. 12.
This new entity will operate under the name of Salish Sea Foods LP.
“This is an extremely exciting transaction and fits ideally with the expanding operations of our shellfish aquaculture company Pentlatch Seafoods Ltd,” says Melinda Knox, CEO of the KEDC. "Over the past four years, Pentlatch has developed a strong and loyal market base for their product, all of which had to be custom processed, as the company did not have their own processing facility.
"With this current acquisition the KEDC can now vertically integrate and expand the volume of products produced by Pentlatch Seafoods Ltd. and then have it processed and marketed by Salish Sea Foods LP."
To facilitate a smooth transition of ownership, while maintaining the high quality of product both Pentlatch and Aquatec are known for, the current owners of Aquatec will remain on staff and serve as advisers to Tom Broadley, the new general manager of Salish Sea Foods LP.
“By keeping Ryan, Malena and all of the existing staff at Aquatec, we can not only ensure that the transition will go as smoothly as possible but retain a key component of what makes Aquatec such a successful business — its employees,” says Broadley.
“We have watched Pentlatch grow over the past eight years and have worked very closely with them by acting as their custom processor,” states Ryan Tutte, president of Aquatec Seafoods Ltd. “They have the same family-orientated business ethics that we do and are very happy that our facility will continue to operate and expand in the same manner.”
Salish Sea Foods LP is a modern, fully certified seafood processor in the Comox Valley with 20 employees that offers seafood processing from fish to shellfish and more.
— K'ómoks Economic Development Corporation