Cooke Inc.

Cooke Inc., also known as Cooke Seafood or Cooke Aquaculture, is a privately held Canadian seafood company headquartered in Saint John, New Brunswick. The family-run business began in 1985 as a small Atlantic salmon farming operation in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick, and grew into an integrated international seafood group with activities spanning aquaculture, wild-caught fisheries, seafood processing, vessels, hatcheries, feed production, and distribution. The company was founded by Gifford Cooke and his sons Glenn and Michael Cooke. Its initial operation consisted of approximately 5,000 farmed salmon in a single pen. Over time, Cooke expanded beyond its original New Brunswick salmon business through organic growth and a large acquisition program. Its salmon activities have included operations in Atlantic Canada, Maine and Washington in the United States, Chile, and Scotland. The group has also developed or acquired businesses connected with shrimp, sea bass, oysters, clams, wild-caught fish, and other seafood categories. Cooke's growth strategy has relied heavily on vertical integration and acquisitions. The company established a U.S. seafood business in 2015 and acquired Wanchese Fish Company as part of its expansion into American seafood operations. It subsequently acquired businesses including Icicle Seafoods, Omega Protein, Fripur and its Argentine subsidiary Grinfin, Seajoy Seafood Corporation, and Australia's Tassal. The Tassal transaction in 2022 was described as Cooke's largest acquisition and significantly expanded its salmon farming presence in Australia. The company operates through multiple divisions, subsidiaries, facilities, vessels, and consumer or business-facing brands. Its business model links production and supply-chain activities, including hatcheries, feed plants, farming sites, fishing vessels, processing facilities, and international sales. This structure allows Cooke to participate in several stages between aquatic production and finished seafood markets, although the precise product portfolio and geographic footprint vary among subsidiaries. Cooke remains privately owned and is not publicly traded. The company describes itself as a global seafood business, while its historical base remains in Atlantic Canada. In 2023, public reference material described the group as operating in 14 countries, employing nearly 13,000 people, and using approximately 800 vessels and 30 processing plants. Those figures are historical and may change over time. Cooke continues to be associated with salmon aquaculture as its best-known business, but its international portfolio is broader than farmed salmon alone.

Cooke Inc. was founded in 1985 in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick, by Gifford Cooke and his sons Glenn and Michael Cooke. The business began as a family-run salmon farm with approximately 5,000 fish in a pen. Its original focus was Atlantic salmon aquaculture in the Maritime region, but the company gradually expanded its production, processing, and distribution capabilities. As Cooke grew, it developed an increasingly integrated seafood structure. In addition to farming salmon, the group became involved in hatcheries, feed production, processing plants, vessels, and international sales. Its salmon operations extended beyond Atlantic Canada into the United States, Chile, and Scotland. The company also diversified into additional species and seafood categories, including sea bass, shrimp, oysters, clams, and wild-caught fish. A major phase of expansion began in the United States. In 2015, Cooke established Cooke Seafood USA Inc. and acquired Wanchese Fish Company. The company relocated its headquarters to uptown Saint John in late 2016, while retaining its historical connection to Blacks Harbour. Cooke also expanded into South America by acquiring Uruguayan company Fripur S.A. and its Argentine subsidiary Grinfin, which became part of the company's Cooke Uruguay activities. On December 19, 2017, Cooke completed its acquisition of Omega Protein, a U.S. fish operations company. The transaction expanded Cooke's exposure to wild-caught fisheries and fish-processing activities. In February 2019, Cooke acquired Seajoy Seafood Corporation, adding a Latin American shrimp-farming business to its portfolio. Cooke continued to enlarge its corporate footprint through further acquisitions and real-estate investment. In June 2022, it expanded its office presence into the Brunswick Square office tower in Saint John. In November of the same year, it completed the acquisition of Australian salmon aquaculture company Tassal. The transaction was described in reference material as the company's largest acquisition and strengthened its position in the Australian salmon sector. By 2023, reference material characterized Cooke as a global private seafood company operating in 14 countries, with nearly 13,000 employees, approximately 800 vessels, and 30 processing plants. These figures describe the company at that point in time and should not be treated as permanent current statistics. The group has reportedly made approximately 100 acquisitions overall, including 14 major acquisitions since 2016. The company's history also includes public scrutiny and litigation. In April 2024, a previously filed False Claims Act lawsuit was unsealed in New York, alleging that Cooke used a U.S. shell company to conceal Canadian ownership. In November 2024, the Conservation Law Foundation issued notice of a proposed Clean Water Act action alleging discharges from Cooke salmon pens in the Gulf of Maine. Cooke denied those allegations. Neither matter should be presented as an adjudicated finding on the basis of the supplied material. Gifford Cooke died on March 3, 2024, at age 85, and the company announced his death the following day. Glenn Cooke remains identified in the reference material as the company's co-founder and chief executive. Cooke continues to operate as a privately held, family-associated international seafood group.

1. 2024Death of co-founder Gifford Cooke

   Gifford Cooke dies at age 85; Cooke announces his death on March 4.

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2. 2022Tassal acquisition expands Australian salmon operations

   Cooke completes its acquisition of Australian salmon aquaculture company Tassal.

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3. 2019Seajoy acquisition adds shrimp farming

   Cooke acquires Seajoy Seafood Corporation and expands into Latin American shrimp farming.

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4. 2017Omega Protein acquisition

   Cooke completes its acquisition of American fish operations company Omega Protein.

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5. 2016Headquarters move to Saint John

   Cooke relocates its headquarters to uptown Saint John, New Brunswick.

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6. 2015U.S. expansion begins with Cooke Seafood USA

   Cooke establishes Cooke Seafood USA Inc. and acquires Wanchese Fish Company.

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7. 1985Cooke is founded in New Brunswick

   Gifford Cooke and his sons Glenn and Michael establish a family salmon-farming business in Blacks Harbour with approximately 5,000 farmed salmon.

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A privately held, vertically integrated international seafood group combining aquaculture, wild fisheries, processing, and distribution.

• Farmed Atlantic salmonAquaculture1985

  Farmed Atlantic salmon is Cooke's historical and best-known product category. The company originated as a salmon-farming operation in New Brunswick and later expanded salmon aquaculture into the United States, Chile, Scotland, and Australia through its own operations and acquisitions. Production is connected with hatcheries, farming sites, processing facilities, and international distribution.

• Sea bassAquaculture

  Sea bass is among the additional farmed seafood categories associated with Cooke's broader aquaculture portfolio. The supplied reference material identifies the species as part of the company's seafood activities, but does not provide a detailed description of specific product formats, brands, or markets.

• ShrimpAquaculture2019

  Cooke entered or expanded its shrimp-farming activities through the acquisition of Seajoy Seafood Corporation in 2019. The business added a Latin American shrimp platform to Cooke's historically salmon-centered aquaculture portfolio.

• Oysters and clamsShellfish

  Oysters and clams are included among the shellfish categories associated with Cooke's seafood operations. The supplied sources do not specify individual consumer brands, product formats, or exact production locations for these products.

• Wild-caught fish and processed seafoodSeafood processing2015

  Through businesses such as Wanchese Fish Company and Omega Protein, Cooke participates in wild-caught fish operations and seafood processing in addition to aquaculture. These activities broaden the group beyond farmed species and connect fishing vessels, processing facilities, and international seafood supply chains.

• 2022Acquire TassalM&A

  Cooke continued its strategy of international expansion in farmed salmon.

  What changed. Cooke acquired Australian salmon aquaculture company Tassal.

  Aftermath. The transaction significantly increased Cooke's presence in Australia's salmon sector and was described as the company's largest acquisition.

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• 2019Acquire Seajoy Seafood CorporationM&A

  Cooke aimed to broaden its aquaculture footprint beyond salmon and into Latin American production.

  What changed. The company acquired Seajoy Seafood Corporation.

  Aftermath. Cooke added shrimp farming to its international aquaculture portfolio.

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• 2017Acquire Omega ProteinM&A

  Cooke was diversifying from salmon aquaculture into a wider seafood portfolio, including wild-caught fish and processing.

  What changed. Cooke completed the acquisition of Omega Protein.

  Aftermath. The acquisition expanded Cooke's U.S. fishery and processing activities.

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• 2015Build a dedicated U.S. seafood platformStrategy

  Cooke sought to expand beyond its Atlantic Canadian base and increase its presence in United States seafood operations.

  What changed. The company established Cooke Seafood USA Inc. and acquired Wanchese Fish Company.

  Aftermath. The move created a broader U.S. operating platform spanning seafood activities beyond the company's original New Brunswick salmon farms.

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• 2024False Claims Act ownership allegationsControversy

  A lawsuit filed in 2021 and unsealed in New York in April 2024 accused Cooke of creating a U.S. shell company to conceal Canadian ownership. The supplied material describes allegations in litigation, not a final adjudicated finding.

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• 2024Clean Water Act notice concerning Gulf of Maine salmon pensControversy

  The Conservation Law Foundation issued notice of a proposed lawsuit alleging that effluent from Cooke salmon pens in the Gulf of Maine affected fishing, lobstering, and other water uses. Cooke denied the allegations.

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• 2024Cooke co-founder Gifford Cooke dies

  Cooke announced the death of co-founder Gifford Cooke on March 4, 2024. He was 85.

  Leadership change
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• 2024Cooke named among Atlantic Canada's top employers

  Cooke was recognized in 2024 as one of the top employers in Atlantic Canada.

  Other
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• 2022Cooke completes acquisition of Tassal

  Cooke acquired Australian salmon aquaculture company Tassal, substantially expanding its presence in Australia's farmed salmon industry.

  M&A
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• 2019Cooke expands into Latin American shrimp farming through Seajoy

  Cooke acquired Seajoy Seafood Corporation, adding a Latin American shrimp-farming platform to its international seafood portfolio.

  M&A
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• 2017Cooke completes acquisition of Omega Protein

  Cooke fully acquired U.S. fish operations company Omega Protein, broadening its participation in wild-caught seafood and related processing activities.

  M&A
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• 2016Cooke relocates its headquarters to uptown Saint John

  The company moved its headquarters from its historical Blacks Harbour base to uptown Saint John, New Brunswick.

  Other
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• 2015Cooke establishes a dedicated U.S. seafood business and acquires Wanchese Fish Company

  Cooke expanded its United States presence by establishing Cooke Seafood USA Inc. and acquiring Wanchese Fish Company.

  M&A
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1. Cooke Inc.
2. Cooke Seafood official website