Atwood Lobster Co. sold to Ill. supplier
Spruce Head Island-based Atwood Lobster Co. has been acquired by an Illinois seafood supplier.
Mazzetta Co. of Highland Park, Ill., bought Atwood, one of the state's largest lobster dealers, for an undisclosed price, according to trade publication SeafoodSource. Mazzetta has been involved in the Maine lobster industry since 2008, and in 2010 purchased more than 5 million pounds of lobster and processed more than 2 million pounds in the state. "We view the addition of Atwood Lobster Co. as a critical step in our plans to vertically integrate our business while allowing us to keep pace with our customers' demand for quality Maine lobster products," Jordan Mazzetta, the company's executive vice president, said in a release. Mazzetta has acquired the company's property on Spruce Head Island, while property in Tenants Harbor will be retained by former owner William Atwood and leased to Mazzetta, Atwood told the Herald Gazette.
William Atwood, 73, has worked in the lobster industry for nearly 60 years, and told the paper "it's time to move on." He said the sale will benefit lobstermen because Mazzetta plans to be more aggressive in buying their catch. He said Mazzetta plans to process the lobster at a plant it owns in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Most of Atwood's employees will be retained. Atwood Lobster has the largest shipping facility in Maine with a holding capacity of 200,000 pounds, and sells about 4 million pounds of lobster annually, buying from about 70 local lobster boats and some Canadian fishermen.
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