Ready Seafood acquires Topsham-based Hancock Gourmet Lobster
Courtesy / City of Saco
Ready Seafood, which last week announced its acquisition of Hancock Gourmet Lobster, in September opened a Saco processing plant. Shown here at the ribbon-cutting, from left, Brian Whitney of Maine Technology Institute, Ready Seafood co-owner John Ready, Ready Seafood COO Brian Skoczenski, Ready Seafood co-owner Brendan Ready and Saco Planning and Development Director Denise Clavette.
Ready Seafood, a Saco-based supplier of live and processed lobster, has acquired Hancock Gourmet Lobster Co. of Topsham.
Terms were not disclosed in a news release last week announcing the deal. Hancock, founded in 2000 by Cal Hancock, develops and produces lobster specialty products such as lobster pot pie and lobster risotto. The dishes are sold online and through gourmet food stores and catalogs.
As a subsidiary of Ready Seafood, the business will continue to operate in its Topsham facility. Cal Hancock will continue to serve as president, but will collaborate with Ready management on plans for domestic and international growth in the specialty product market, according to the release.
“Our company’s future is dependent upon new products, delivering unique items that leverage our vast access to Maine lobster,” said John Ready, co-CEO of Ready. “Hancock’s products combine our great Maine lobster with Cal Hancock’s amazing recipes to create high value, sustainable and accessible gourmet food. The acquisition of Hancock Gourmet Lobster Co., a culinary leader, supports our innovation-centric growth strategy.”
Cal Hancock added: “We are pleased to be partnering with John, Brendan [Ready] and their talented management team. Their customer base is a natural market for our products. Combining our innovative product development with their sustainable resource and global demand is a win-win. This was a natural collaboration just waiting to happen.”
Founded in 2004 by brothers John and Brendan Ready, Ready Seafood markets lobster around the world, sourcing more than 20 million pounds from dozens of locations along the Maine coast. The company operates production facilities in Portland and in Saco, where a 52,000-square-foot, $15 million lobster processing plant — the state’s largest — opened in September.
Ready Seafood was acquired in 2018 by Vancouver, Canada-based Premium Brands Holding Corp. (TSX: PBH).
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