Antarctica Advisors acts as exclusive M&A advisor to Icicle Seafoods Inc. and Evening Star Fisheries in the sale of their Alaskan pollock business to Maruha Nichiro and partner CDQ Groups

ALASKA, Feb. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Antarctica Advisors LLC, the leading seafood industry-focused M&A advisory firm, acted as the exclusive investment banking advisor to Icicle Seafoods Inc. in the sale of its Alaskan pollock operations to Japan's largest seafood player, Maruha Nichiro, Coastal Villages Regional Fund ("CVRF") and Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation ("NSEDC"), two leading Alaskan Community Development Quota ("CDQ") groups.

The transaction also included the purchase of nine fishing vessels owned by Evening Star Fisheries, and the Northern Victor, a stationary processing plant permanently moored in Dutch Harbor owned by Evening Star, LLC and its affiliates. The assets and management team will be integrated into existing platforms currently owned and operated by Maruha and the CDQ groups.

"The seafood M&A team at Antarctica Advisors leveraged its knowledge of the pollock sector and its relationships in Alaska and abroad, to successfully negotiate and execute this highly complex transaction, ultimately achieving a strong outcome," said Glenn Cooke, President of Icicle Seafoods Inc.

Ignacio Kleiman, Managing Partner of Antarctica Advisors, commented: "This acquisition allows the Cooke family of companies to continue focusing on higher value-added seafood resources by redeploying capital, while substantially enhancing Maruha's leading position in the Alaskan pollock fishery. Furthermore, this deal secures substantial resource access for the CDQ groups in an important Alaskan fishery for future generations."

Awarded the "Most Prolific Advisor in the Seafood Industry" title by the specialized media, Antarctica Advisors is the leading US-based, independent investment banking firm providing its Seafood Industry clients around the world with knowledge-based M&A advisory as well as equity and debt capital raising services. The firm's highly specialized seafood team is comprised of experienced professionals with a proven track record of successful transaction execution. 

Antarctica Advisors LLC is a licensed broker-dealer, member of FINRA and SIPC. 

SOURCE Antarctica Advisors