"Combining with High Liner Foods will fundamentally transform Umios," says Masaru Ikemi, representative director, chairman (CEO) of Umios. "By pairing our longstanding leading position in major upstream seafood markets in Alaska with High Liner Foods' iconic consumer brands, value-added processing capabilities and extensive downstream channels, we expect to create a complete, vertically integrated value cycle in North America and drive Umios' sustainable, long-term growth."

Umios is one of the world's largest seafood and marine-protein companies, with annual net sales of approximately ¥1.1 trillion ($6.9 billion) and operations across Japan, North America, Europe and Asia-Oceania. Its North American Operations Unit holds significant Bering Sea resource access, including approximately 26% of Alaska pollock resources, as well as cod and crab. In addition, Umios has established a leading position in value-added surimi-based products.

Founded in 1899 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, High Liner Foods has grown over more than 125 years from its roots in the Atlantic Canadian fishing industry into one of North America's most recognized names in frozen seafood. It holds a leading position in the North American value-added frozen seafood market, supported by processing and distribution infrastructure. High Liner Foods' 2025 acquisition of Mrs. Paul's and Van de Kamp's further strengthened its brand portfolio in the U.S.

The acquisition of High Liner Foods extends Umios' strength in surimi-based products into pollock fillets and other seafood categories. High Liner Foods will bring value-added processing capabilities, a foodservice and retail distribution network and an established brand portfolio across the U.S. and Canada. Umios says the two businesses' complementary strengths will enable it to capture more value from its existing resources and enhance the earnings potential of its North American business.

"This transaction is a powerful endorsement of High Liner Foods, our people and the business we have built from our roots in Lunenburg," says Paul Jewer, president and CEO of High Liner Foods. "We know Umios through a longstanding commercial relationship, and Umios knows the value of our expertise, brands and customer relationships. Joining a global seafood leader gives us the scale, sourcing capabilities and investment capacity to pursue our ambitions in an industry poised for growth. Umios' commitment to keeping our headquarters in Nova Scotia and its plans to invest in our people and the business give us confidence that this is the right path forward for High Liner Foods and our stakeholders."