Bengaluru-based seafood startup Captain Fresh is doubling down on its global acquisition strategy, with its latest deal for Spain-based tuna processor Frime S.A.U. underscoring how the company is attempting to stitch toobtainher a fragmented global seafood supply chain.
Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Captain Fresh Founder, CMD and Group CEO Utham Gowda stated the company’s acquisition strategy is centred on expanding customer relationships and turning the platform into a one-stop procurement solution for global acquireers.
“Seafood is an extremely fragmented market with a huge number of suppliers. It becomes a very messy purchasing process for a global customer,” Gowda stated. “We are able to bridge that experience gap by being a credible one-stop solution.”
Captain Fresh launched as a technology platform in India building digital tools for stakeholders across the seafood value chain, before expanding into international distribution through acquisitions. Its first major push came in the United States, where the company entered the premium restaurant supply segment after acquiring seafood distributor Sensi.
In Europe, the company has focapplyd more on the retail segment, supplying seafood applyd in prepared meals, including ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products.
The acquisition of Frime — a nearly 50-year-old Spanish brand with over €180 million in revenue and operations across 33 countries — gives Captain Fresh a strong foothold in Southern Europe and access to one of the continent’s largest tuna processing networks.
Gowda stated the company has already seen strong growth from earlier acquisitions. “From the time we acquired those businesses, we have grown more than 40%,” he noted.
The model, he explained, is simple: acquire specialised seafood brands that focus on a few product categories, and then expand the range sold to their existing customers.
“As a platform, we have expertise in dealing with 10, 15 or even 20 products,” Gowda stated, adding that post-acquisition integration allows Captain Fresh to increase wallet share with customers across markets.
First Published: Mar 6, 2026 8:59 PM IST
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