Sea Watch International Makes Investment in Look’s, Bar Harbor Foods

Maryland-based Sea Watch International—the largest fully integrated producer of clams in the world—completed a major investment and partnership transaction into historic Look's Gourmet Food Co., doing business as Bar Harbor Foods in Whiting, Maine.

Look's, a nearly 100-year-old company, is best known for its premium Bar Harbor and Atlantic brand products of all-natural, sustainable shelf-stable seafood and food products. Look's, originally a family business begun in 1917, had its assets purchased by Michael Cote in 2003. Bar Harbor Foods currently produces seafood chowders, bisques, seafood juices and stocks, sauces, and fancy-packed seafood meats.

The match brings together years of collective experience in seafood harvesting, manufacturing and distribution. Sea Watch International, a high-quality producer of clams and many other value-added seafood products, brings added production capabilities to Look's for its Bar Harbor and Atlantic product portfolios. 

Sea Watch, operates 35 fishing vessels and four production facilities on the East Coast and is currently focused primarily on foodservice and co-packing manufacturing and distribution. Through its new partnership with Look's, Sea Watch immediately expands into all-natural, sustainable seafood retail grocery distribution.

Bob Brennan, the CEO of Sea Watch International, said, "The partnership with Bar Harbor will strengthen Sea Watch's position and growth in the U.S. retail segment. Our integrated production capabilities and highest quality standards will further support the rapidly growing Bar Harbor brand to become the priority choice for our retail customers across the U.S. Sea Watch is excited to welcome Michael Cote and his team at Bar Harbor into the Sea Watch family."  

Cote, CEO of Look's and now Sea Watch partner in this transaction, will remain in his current position and work closely with Sea Watch to integrate its resources, capabilities and efficiencies. 

Cote commented: "These are exciting times for our company, employees and brands. A partnership with Sea Watch brings forth so many new and exciting opportunities to further develop and strengthen our mission for the brand's current and new products. The folks at Sea Watch are great people and will be able provide us the resources and opportunities that allow us to stay on our mission of bringing many new and innovative products to market in the natural, sustainable, wild-caught space."