- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Food | Agriculture
The Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska announced it has acquired Alaska Seafood Company, a Juneau-based retail and wholesale operation. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1987, the seafood company supplies wild-caught and sustainable Alaskan salmon, halibut, black cod and caviar to seafood customers around the world. Known for its “soft can” method of canning that allows shelf-stable seafood products with no refrigeration, the company also sells fresh or frozen seafood, jarred smoked fish and even pet treats.
The Alaska Seafood Company operates as a retail and wholesale provider and widely distributes its products to gift shops and big box retailers throughout Alaska and the Northwest. Individual products can also be ordered online or at the company’s small storefront location in downtown Juneau.
“This is another solid investment for Tlingit & Haida that not only supports our region's fishery economy, but also enhances our economic sovereignty,” Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson, president of the Tlingit & Haida, said in a statement. “This acquisition is really about supporting our tribal citizens and communities and providing the highest quality, sustainably harvested Alaskan Seafood to those who want to experience the taste of Alaskan seafood.”
The acquisition is the latest in a string of business moves in the Juneau area this year. In May, the Tlingit & Haida announced a new bingo facility; in March, it said it purchased a 48,000-square foot hospitality property in Juneau as part of a larger push to get “lands back into Indigenous hands.” The tribe also owns two nearby commercial properties it acquired in 2021.
Chief Development Officer Will Ware, who oversees the Tribal Development branch of Tlingit & Haida, led the recent acquisition with his team.
"We are excited to be adding the Alaska Seafood Company to the family of Tlingit & Haida owned businesses," said Ware. "This is a business that aligns well with our cultural way of life. We will be looking to expand on custom processing and value-added opportunities, as well as eventually working with tribal citizen-owned fishing operations to market the most amazing seafood in the world.”
