Rod Browne Mitchell will stay on as brand ambassador of the company he founded more than three decades ago, while David Yourd, who has served as president since May 2025, will take the reins as CEO.
More than three decades after founding Browne Trading Co. on Portland's waterfront, Rod Browne Mitchell is stepping down as CEO of the specialty food vendor he built into a nationally recognized brand.
Mitchell will stay on with the company as brand ambassador, while David Yourd, who has served as president since May 2025, will take the reins as CEO.
Rod Browne Mitchell PHOTO / COURTESY OF BROWNE TRADING CO.
Mitchell founded Browne Trading in 1991 and helped pioneer overnight shipping of premium fresh seafood at a time when direct-to-chef distribution was still emerging. Under his leadership, the company developed a reputation among high-end restaurants and retailers for sourcing fresh seafood, smoked fish and caviar.
Browne Trading has a retail location at 262 Commercial St.
Over the years, Browne Trading became a supplier to Michelin-starred restaurants in New York and other culinary markets, while expanding its wholesale and direct-to-consumer businesses nationwide.
Mitchell also played a role in shaping Maine's specialty seafood industry, helping develop markets for hand-harvested diver scallops, baby eel fisheries and dayboat seafood.
In addition, Mitchell coined and popularized the marketing term “Peekytoe
Crab,” transforming Maine crabmeat into a premium specialty product.
The company said Mitchell remains involved in sourcing, customer relationships and brand development.
Browne Trading's next chapter
David Yourd PHOTO / COURTESY OF BROWNE TRADING CO.
Yourd brings more than 25 years of experience in specialty foods and seafood distribution. During his career, he had held leadership and ownership positions at JDY Gourmet, Fortune Fish, Philosophy Foods, Regalis Foods and Lady Edison.
“Rod built Browne Trading into an iconic brand by staying relentlessly focused on quality, transparency, and products with real provenance," said Yourd. “Our goal is to build on that legacy by doubling down on the sourcing partnerships and rigorous quality standards that have always distinguished Browne Trading."
Yourd also aims to expand Browne Trading’s standing within the culinary community and hard-earned reputation to a new generation of chefs and gourmands across the country, he said.
