When you’re shopping for seafood you’ve probably seen the phrase “vertically integrated” tossed around. But what does that actually mean? And more importantly, why should you care?
At Whidbey Seafoods, we’re proud to be a vertically integrated seafood company. That’s not just a fancy term—it’s a big part of what sets us apart and allows us to offer high-quality, traceable, sustainably harvested seafood with a whole lot of care.
Let’s break it down.
🛥️ We Catch It Ourselves
It all starts on the water. Our team is made up of experienced fishermen who know these waters inside and out. We're on the boats—we come from a fishing family—and we know exactly how, when, and where your seafood is caught. That means no middlemen and no mystery.
🐟 We Process It Ourselves
Once we bring in a catch, it doesn’t go off to a faraway facility. Much of our processing begins right on board the boat, where we carefully clean and flash freeze our catch to lock in freshness immediately. From there, we continue the process in-house at our own facility. That means we can ensure quality at every step—cleaning, cutting, freezing, and smoking our seafood with the care it deserves.
This also gives us the freedom to innovate (like with our smoked canned black cod) and try new things—without ever compromising on freshness or integrity.
📦 We Handle the Packaging and Shipping
From vacuum-sealed salmon to beautifully packed smoked seafood, we take pride in every detail. Because we manage the packaging and shipping ourselves, we’re able to maintain consistency, minimize waste, and make sure your order arrives exactly how it should: fresh, fast, and freezer-ready.
🤝 We Sell Directly to You
Whether you’re buying for your family, your wedding, or your grocery store, you’re dealing directly with us. That means real communication, real accountability, and real people who care about what you’re getting on your plate.
How It’s Different from Other Seafood Companies
Most seafood companies aren’t vertically integrated. Instead, they rely on a chain of different businesses to get seafood from the ocean to your plate. That might look like:
- Buying fish from a broker (who buys it from a fishing boat)
- Sending it to a third-party processor for cutting and packaging
- Shipping it through a distribution center
- Selling it through a retailer who has no idea where it was caught or how it was handled
That’s a lot of steps—and a lot of chances for quality to slip, prices to climb, transparency to fade, and too many hands handling your food along the way.
Why It Matters
Being vertically integrated means we can trace every product from dock to doorstep. It means fewer hands in the process, more transparency, and higher quality. It also means we’re able to respond to our customers’ needs—whether that’s offering bulk pricing for big events or making sure your favorite smoked fish is always stocked at your local store.
At the end of the day, we believe you deserve to know where your food comes from—and to trust the people who bring it to you.
From our boats to your table,
– The Whidbey Seafoods Team
