Premium foodservice partner, Fortune Fish & Gourmet, is redefining quality and elevating plates across the US
From the shores of the Pacific Ocean to quaint European towns, Fortune Fish & Gourmet (Fortune) offers a fully comprehensive selection of premium foods sourced from all corners of the world. Born of a mission to ‘elevate meals and lives’, the company was founded on a legacy of craftsmanship, integrity, and innovation, guided by quality, sustainability, and passion. Having grown to be one of the foremost players in the American food industry, Fortune is redefining the standards of excellence within the sector, offering every ingredient that a chef or foodservice business could need to provide a truly tantalizing culinary experience.
“Fortune Fish & Gourmet is a founder-run importer, processor, and distributor of premium seafood, specialty meat, and gourmet food products,” explains Sean O’Scannlain, Chief Executive Officer of Fortune. “I founded Fortune Fish in 2001 in Bensenville, Illinois, and the company’s name pays tribute to my great-great-grandfather, Peter Fortune – an Irish immigrant who founded the Fortune Brothers Brewing Company in Chicago in 1866. Together, there were five of us on our first day at Fortune, amassing over 100 years of combined experience in the seafood industry, and we’ve since grown from a single operation in Illinois to operating 14 state-of-the-art processing and distribution facilities and 20 privately-owned brands across the United States.
“We’ve built our business and our reputation on mastering the art of sourcing, processing, and transporting the most delicate and time-sensitive items in the food industry. This has fueled our expansion to become one of the largest seafood and specialty food distributors in the country, and a leader in the industry, handling thousands of carefully selected different products to exceed the high standards embraced by our quality driven customer base.”
Consistent quality
Encapsulating excellence, quality, and luxury in every product, Fortune’s portfolio showcases the very best in professional-quality, premium products. Across its 20 innovative brands, Fortune’s selection offers an impressive catalogue of seafood, meat, cheese, charcuterie, mushrooms, pastries, and specialty pantry items, all ethically and sustainably sourced with the highest standards of quality and supply chain traceability in mind.
“At Fortune, we take pride in offering one of the most comprehensive premium selections of fresh and frozen seafood, meat, poultry, and specialty products within the industry,” Ana Cabral, Senior Vice President of Product Management, reveals. “Our diverse portfolio is designed to meet the demanding standards of chefs, retailers, and food service professionals across a wide range of market sectors including fine dining, hotels and resorts, retail, both large and small, hospitality groups, private clubs and other food distributors. Across every category, we provide custom portioning, private label solutions, and regional sourcing programs, supported by a robust logistics network ensuring consistent quality, freshness, and traceability from origin to customer.”
Extensive expansion
Over the decades, Fortune has garnered a stellar reputation across the United States. Its name has grown to be synonymous with impeccable quality, freshness, and high ethical standards, with its extensive experience making it a true partner-of-choice for some of the food industry’s biggest names. Through this commitment, Fortune has grown exponentially, expanding its geographical reach across the country with a tactful M&A strategy.
“Starting in 2012, we expanded our gourmet division with the strategic acquisition of JDY Gourmet, adding a strong team committed to hand-selecting outstanding foods from the finest producers in the world. Building a gourmet division from scratch would’ve taken years, and we knew that this team would be a great fit. In the Midwest, we were able to expand into the Minnesota market with the acquisitions of Coastal Seafoods and Classic Provisions, which marked our first venture into retail,” Ana elaborates.
“While we had serviced St. Louis for years, we acquired Morey’s Seafood, Seattle Fish Company, and Eurogourmet, Inc. in Missouri to allow our customers there to receive orders quicker with local warehouses, and then replicated a similar model for our Wisconsin expansion with the acquisitions of Neesvig’s, Inc. and Meat Processors Inc. We then expanded into the South in 2019 with the acquisition of Jubilee Seafoods in Alabama, which extended our reach from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico. Our acquisitions of New Orleans Fish House and Ocean Harvest Wholesale further expanded our seafood portfolio and Southern presence, whilst our acquisition of CCT Logistics provided additional cold storage and logistical support.
“Finally, on the East Coast, we acquired D’Artagnan, Inc – a leader in popularizing the sustainable ‘farm-to-table’ movement – and Boston Sword & Tuna, which provided an additional 36,000 square feet of processing space, a brand-new test kitchen, and 50,000-gallon capacity ocean water lobster tank.” 
State-of-the-art equipment
Most recently, Fortune was proud to unveil a brand new addition to its facility in New Jersey, set to build further on its custom fish cutting capabilities – a service that its loyal customer base continues to love. In harmony with the company’s ethos and existing operations, the New Jersey facility is configurated with its customers in mind, equipped with cutting-edge technologies and machinery to offer the greatest scope of products and services for their unique needs.
“When we structured our New Jersey plant, we added a fillet room, dedicated fish and shellfish coolers, ice machines, and a full refrigeration system to ensure proper handling and freshness. Our New Jersey facility sources product directly from our Boston facility, which is equipped with state-of-the-art filleting, pin-boning, portioning, and scaling machines,” says Jon Rezny, Vice President of Seafood. “The Boston plant also features lobster tanks, a kettle cooker for lobsters, and utilizes ozonated water throughout the facility to maintain exceptional food safety and quality standards. As we continue to grow in New Jersey, we plan to introduce new equipment and technologies as needed to support production expansion and uphold our commitment to quality and efficiency.”
Enhancing operational efficiency
Complementary to its dynamic growth trajectory, innovation lies at the core of Fortune, and the company is always investing in new ways to further enhance its operational efficiency and scope of service offerings.
“One of our most exciting projects has been launching our new ordering app, Fortune Marketplace. Our customers have been begging us for it for years, and we finally were able to begin rolling it out late in 2024. It has been a major project, requiring an incredible amount of work across all our teams – from data and marketing to operations,” Sean reveals.
“Further to that, we’re thrilled to spotlight the latest additions to our seafood lineup: Ode Farmed Norwegian Cod, Mainstream Barramundi raised in the USA, and Loch Duart Salmon farmed in Scotland,” Jon adds. “Each of these selections combines exceptional flavor with responsible, sustainable farming practices, ensuring our customers enjoy seafood that’s not only delicious but also ethically sourced.”
With the end of 2025 fast approaching, Fortune Fish & Gourmet is optimistic for the future. Keeping its core values close to its heart, the company will continue to shine across the industry, with its strong team championing the passion, respect, and excellence that Fortune has grown to be recognized for.
“With the economic uncertainty surrounding tariffs and shifting consumer behavior, we need to remain focused on delivering our commitments to our customers to ensure that the holiday season is successful for all,” Sean says, looking forward to the next year ahead.
“In the next three to five years, I’d hope to expand our geographical footprint from coast-to-coast, with our revenue goals ranging from the $3 billion-to-$4 billion mark. There are many great markets, especially on the West Coast, that fit our company’s mission, and I think that there are lots of exciting opportunities out there.”