‘With a strong heritage spanning over 150 years, the company continues to demonstrate its ambition for sustainable growth through strategic investment’
Seafish UK’s Wassand Street premises in Hull(Image: Google Streetview)
A frozen fish firm that employs more than 90 people has been bought by an expanding group. Seafish UK, which operates from an 85,000 sqft facility on the city’s Wassand Street, has become part of major seafood group Andrew Marr International.
The group’s Fastnet subsidiary has acquired Seafish in a deal with an undisclosed value. It brings together two well established Humber firms, with bosses saying Seafish will complement Fastnet’s sourcing, distribution and seafood supply operation while expanding the group’s manufacturing capabilities and enhancing its ability to serve customers across the retail and foodservice sectors.
Seafish traces its roots back to 1922, as an offshore fishing and wholesale operation based in Shetland. It expanded into the frozen fish market in the 1960s before relocating to Hull in the 1980s.
Since the mid-1990s it has been based out of the Wassand Street site, where it has three production lines, with freezing and packing of up to one tonne per hour of retail breaded, battered and dusted fish products, along with a similar sized manufacturing, freezing and packing line for ready meals.
Latest available accounts for the firm, which cover 2024, show a turnover of more than £18.2m. Last year, Andrew Marr International recorded turnover of more than £1bn.
In recent years Bob Carter, who had purchased the business in 2003, stepped down from the day-to-day running of the business to let daughter Emma and sons Andrew and Robert take the reigns as the board of directors.
Danny Burton, managing director at Fastnet, said: “This acquisition complements the group’s existing operations and reflects the ongoing investment in expanding its seafood portfolio while building on the strengths and expertise of its subsidiary businesses.”
Fastnet’s legal advice for the acquisition was led by Philip Ashworth, a corporate partner at Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP, who was supported by a team including partners Fiona Phillips on tax, Gillian Markland on employment, and Kirsty Barsby on property.
Philip Ashworth added: “We are delighted to have supported our long-standing client on this latest acquisition. With a strong heritage spanning over 150 years, the company continues to demonstrate its ambition for sustainable growth through strategic investment. It has been a pleasure to work alongside the team on this transaction, and we look forward to seeing the business continue to build on its success within the seafood sector.”
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