Fortune Fish & Gourmet, Bensenville, Ill., announced plans to acquire Coastal Seafoods, a Minneapolis-based seafood purveyor and retailer. The acquisition will expand Fortune Fish’s service footprint to Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and areas of Northern Iowa and Northern Wisconsin.

Coastal Seafoods originally started in 1981 as a wholesale seafood company, servicing over 300 restaurants and retail stores within a 5-state area. Coastal also operates two retail outlets in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. Suzanne Weinstein, owner of Coastal Seafoods, will serve as a consultant moving forward. And, the retail stores will continue to operate under the Coastal Seafoods brand name.

"Coastal Seafoods' success over the last 35 years is due in part to our incredibly special team, and I am delighted that they can all continue their careers and growth with Fortune," says Weinstein.  "Fortune Fish & Gourmet is the right company to continue what we have built, while expanding our offerings and presence in the market."

The current Minneapolis facility will be transitioned into Fortune Fish’s customized barcode inventory system in the next 2-3 months for uniformity and efficiency.

"In growing our footprint in the Midwest, we wanted to find a company that shared our commitment to customer service, quality products and seafood sustainability," says Sean O'Scannlain, Fortune's president and CEO. "We greatly admire the outstanding legacy that Coastal Seafoods and Suzanne Weinstein have built over the last 35 years, and are excited to introduce our complete line of gourmet products to Coastal's Midwest distribution area."