September 30, 2010

Sanford to acquire Pacifica Seafoods Group

Auckland-based Sanford Limited has sought antitrust clearance to acquire the Pacifica Seafoods Group of companies through an application sent to the Commerce Commission.

Sanford is a publicly listed wild fisheries and aquaculture company particularly involved in the farming, processing and selling of mussels, salmon and oysters. The new acquisition would add to the aquaculture assets it obtained from Sealord in 2009.

Christchurch-based Pacifica Seafoods Group of companies, all subsidiaries of Skeggs Group Limited, mainly supplies mussels but also runs some salmon and oyster operations.

Both companies are joint investors in the North Island Mussel Processors Limited facility, featuring an automated cooking and opening process, in Tauranga.

Pacifica Seafoods touts itself as one of the country's biggest privately-owned producers and exporters of the aforementioned aquaculture species and processes inshore fish species.

The Skeggs Group generates a yearly turnover of NZD125 million (US$92.5 million) with interests in seafood, maritime and land transport, tourism and property.