Cooke Inc.
Company typePrivate company
IndustryAquaculture
Founded1985; 39 years ago (1985) in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick, Canada
Founders
  • Gifford Cooke
  • Glenn Cooke
  • Michael Cooke
Headquarters
Saint John, New Brunswick, New Brunswick
,
Canada
Key people
  • Glenn Cooke
    (CEO)
ProductsSeafood
RevenueIncrease CA$4 billion (annually)
Number of employees
nearly 13,000 (2023)
DivisionsCooke Aquaculture Inc.
Subsidiaries
Websitecookeseafood.com

Cooke Inc. (also known as Cooke Seafood or Cooke Aquaculture) is a seafood company based in New Brunswick, Canada. It is one of the largest privately-owned seafood companies globally.[1][2] Started in 1985 in Blacks Harbour, the family-run company operates many vessels and processing facilities under multiple brand names internationally. Outside of its origin business in New Brunswick, the company has run salmon aquaculture operations in Maine, Washington state, Chile, and Scotland.

Since its formation, Cooke Inc. has made approximately 100 acquisitions,[3] 14 of which, since 2016, being major acquisitions worth $2.5 billion. As of 2023, Cooke employs nearly 13,000 people, including 2,500 in Atlantic Canada. The company operates in 14 countries and utilizes 800 vessels along with 30 processing plants, while using their own hatcheries and feed plants. Cooke currently makes annual revenues of CA$4 billion.[2] Among the number of companies acquired by Cooke include Icicle Seafoods (2016), Omega Protein (2017),[4] and Tassal (2022).

History

Cooke Inc. was established in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick, Canada[2] 1985 by Gifford Cooke and his two sons Glenn and Michael,[5] whom of which started with farming 5,000 salmon in a pen.[6]

In late 2016, Cooke relocated their headquarters to uptown Saint John, New Brunswick. The company has a history with the city, which is where Glenn Cooke, the co-founder and CEO, lives and serves as one of the board of directors for the Saint John Port Authority.[7]

In November 2022, Cooke acquired Australian salmon aquaculture company Tassal for $1.5 billion.[8]

References

  1. ^ Bissett, Kevin. "Fast-expanding seafood giant joins Irvings, McCains as N.B. business royalty - New Brunswick | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Mills, Don; Campbell, David (7 December 2023). "Podcast: Glenn Cooke discusses how Cooke Inc. has quietly become the largest privately owned seafood company in the world". Country 94. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Fast-expanding seafood giant joins Irvings, McCains as N.B. business royalty - BNN Bloomberg". BNN. The Canadian Press. 12 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Cooke Inc". seafood.media. seafood.media. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  5. ^ Goossen, Rick. "Entrepreneurial Leaders Organization - Glenn Cooke". www.entrepreneurialleaders.com.
  6. ^ "Fast-expanding seafood giant joins Irvings, McCains as N.B. business royalty - New Brunswick | Globalnews.ca". Global News.
  7. ^ Wright, Julia (19 September 2016). "Cooke Aquaculture relocating headquarters in uptown Saint John". CBC News. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  8. ^ "New Brunswick seafood giant Cooke Inc. acquires Australia company for $1.5B". CBC News.
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