US privately-owned wholesale distributor and processor Santa Monica Seafood is close to completing its US$ 8 million construction project for a 34,000-square foot seafood processing and distribution facility near Denver, Colorado.
Completion is expected by the end of March. This will be the company’s first facility in Colorado, and it will service both foodservice and retail customers.
Operations should commence in the second-quarter of this year.
“We decided in early 2023 to forego any M&A activity given the poor economy and the inflated cost of money. Instead, we decided to open two new operating facilities, one in the mid-Atlantic area and one in Colorado. The first, a 26,000-square foot facility in Baltimore, Maryland, commenced operations in October of 2023 after an $11 million investment,” said Roger O’Brien, President and CEO of Santa Monica Seafood. “Baltimore was our third skin-pack location and we now have 100,000 sqaure feet devoted to chilled skin-pack where we are capable of making deliveries to 40 states within 48 hours of the pack date.”
O’Brien added, “Finding an ideal location in Denver took longer but we are now over 70% complete with our construction efforts. Doug Verwolf, previously with Superior Foods in Michigan, is our Vice President & General Manager for our Colorado operations. He has already relocated his family to Denver, and he also oversees our existing operations in New Mexico and Arizona. Doug spent 15 years with Superior Foods where his experience included overseeing purchasing, operations and sales.
“Steve Casto is our Regional Sales Vice President overseeing both Colorado and New Mexico and brings over 25 years of progressive experience in sales and marketing to retail and foodservice customers with groups including Prime Source Foods, DPI Specialty Foods, and Performance Food Group. Steve will be assisted by Delphine Jadot, our Vice President of Business Development for Colorado. Delphine previously was a seafood sales and sustainability expert for nine years servicing both Colorado and Utah for Seattle Fish Company.”
O’Brien further noted that given the company’s existing operations in California, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico, it sees Colorado as a natural geographic extension.
“We want to be a local processor and distributor with a local sales team, but with our focus on popular as well as unique seafood species sourced from around the world. We are seafood experts and with that sole focus, we are not distracted by other proteins and non-seafood products,” he said.
