Seamark Group facts for kids
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| Privately held company | |
| Industry | Food processing |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Iqbal Ahmed Bilal Ahmed Kamal Ahmed |
| Headquarters |
Hulme Hall Lane, Lord Lord North Street, Manchester
,
England, M40 8AD
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|
Number of locations
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4 |
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Key people
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Iqbal Ahmed (Chairman and Chief Executive) |
| Products | Seafood, poultry, fruit, vegetables |
| Brands | Tiger Brand, Lilly, Restaurant Wholesale, Classic, Seagold Brand, Ibco Brand, Mr, Prawn, Sylhet Brand, Vermilion & Cinnabar |
 £ 250 million |
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| Owner | Iqbal Ahmed Bilal Ahmed Kamal Ahmed |
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Number of employees
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4,500 |
The Seamark Group is a very large company that works with food. It operates in many countries around the world. This company focuses on processing and selling food in large amounts to other businesses. Seamark has offices in Manchester, England, and Chittagong, Bangladesh.
The company was started in 1976 by three brothers: Iqbal, Bilal, and Kamal Ahmed. They officially set up Seamark plc in 1991.
Contents
How Seamark Started
Seamark was a pioneer in the food industry. In 1976, it was the first company to bring a type of shrimp called black tiger shrimps to Europe.
The company was founded by the Ahmed brothers: Iqbal, Bilal, and Kamal. Seamark plc was officially created in 1991. It specialized in preparing and storing warm water shrimps, especially black tiger and freshwater king prawns. After being processed and packaged, these shrimps were sent to many countries in Europe.
Since 1992, Seamark has invested a lot of money to build and improve its facilities worldwide. In November 2000, they opened a large seafood processing factory in Chittagong, Bangladesh. This factory cost about £10 million.
In 2006, the company spent £12 million on new main offices in Manchester, England. This is where Seamark's sister company, IBCO Food Industries, also opened. Later, in November 2007, a Thai restaurant named Vermilion was also opened at this location.
What Seamark Makes and Sells
Seamark offers more than 1,000 different food products. These include seafood, chicken, fruits, vegetables, and small finger foods. Their operations in Chittagong, Bangladesh, prepare many products. These range from their famous shrimps to chicken, dried foods, and frozen fruits and vegetables. They supply these foods to restaurants and other food businesses.
The company has several important facilities. It has a production plant in Chittagong with its own shrimp processing line. It also has a hatchery, which is a place where young shrimp are bred. Seamark also owns a fleet of boats that catch fish in the Bay of Bengal. In Manchester, they have a special processing plant and their main office. They also have a distribution center in The Netherlands to help deliver products across Europe.
How Seamark Operates Globally
Seamark is a very large global company. It has an annual sales of about $250 million. The company employs 4,500 people around the world. About 300 of these employees work at its facilities in East Manchester. The production factories in Bangladesh have created 1,000 jobs for people in the local area.
Seamark sells its products to many different customers. These include stores, large sellers (wholesalers), and distributors worldwide. Their main markets are in Germany and the Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg). The Seamark Group of companies has a total sales of $400 million. It is the top company in the UK for importing and processing shrimps. Many chefs use their products, and you can find them in supermarkets globally.
More than 69% of Seamark's sales come from exports to other countries. About half of all shrimps exported from Britain come from Seamark's processing plants. The company's international sales have grown a lot. They increased by 22% each year from 2009 to 2011.
Awards and Special Recognition
Seamark has received many awards for its success. In 1998, it won the Queen's Awards for Enterprise for its international trade. In July 1999, it also won the Barclays Business in Europe export award.
In Bangladesh, the company was honored by the government. It received a national award and a gold medal for three years in a row (2001, 2002, and 2003). This was for exporting the most seafood.
In 2012, Seamark was listed among the top private companies in the UK. It was ranked 191 in The Sunday Times HSBC International Track top 200. In February 2016, the company received the Outstanding Business of the Year award at the British Muslim Awards.
See also
- Business of British Bangladeshis
