Former football player's shrimp company expands into Boston

Shrimp wholesaler Oceans 97 Inc. will be opening of a new Boston-based office within the SnapChef Culinary Innovation Center, the company announced on 8 March at the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) event.

The new office location will act as the wholesaler’s New England hub, catering to existing customers while also expanding its presence and clientele base in and around the northeastern U.S. region. This expansion is a first for Oceans 97, which is headquartered in Louisiana.

According to the company’s owner and president, Jarvis Green – known well for his career in the National Football League (NFL), winning two Super Bowl Championships as a member of the New England Patriots – the idea to expand into an epicenter of seafood activity like Boston has been in the works for quite some time.

“Expanding Oceans 97 to New England and specifically Boston has been part of the company plan since the beginning. During my time with the Patriots, I developed a great appreciation for the Massachusetts seafood industry and its national and global reach. We are proud to be a Boston company and look forward to the bright future for Oceans 97 Shrimp,” said Green.

The City of Boston, in turn, is enthused to welcome Green and Oceans 97 into its bustling seafood community.

"The City of Boston is excited to welcome Oceans97 to Boston, joining the city's vibrant seafood industry," added Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "We thank Jarvis Green for choosing Boston as a place to expand his growing business, connecting with resources at SnapChef in Dorchester, and providing local residents good paying jobs in one of Boston's neighborhoods."

Many locations were considered for the Oceans 97 expansion, with the SnapChef Culinary Innovation Center in Dorchester winning the bid thanks to its access to restaurants, hotels, hospitals and other large commercial kitchen clients. Oceans 97 plans to connect directly with regional seafood companies and clients from its new home within the SnapChef paradigm.

“The SnapChef Culinary Innovation Center is proud and appreciative that Oceans 97 has chosen our location for its first New England office. We look forward to working with Jarvis and his team to ensure they have the support their company needs to succeed and grow” said Todd Snopkowski, SnapChef founder and CEO.

Opened in 2015, the SnapChef Culinary Innovation Center houses organizations such as The Daily Table, R.O.C.K.S. and the headquarters for SnapChef Culinary Training and Staffing.

Oceans 97 coordinates with local Louisiana processors to provide wild-caught gulf shrimp throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company’s facilities are USDA and FDA inspected, producing 100 percent traceable and sustainable products, according to Oceans 97.