Lineage & Nordic Seafood: 30 Years of Growing Together
February 20, 2025
For three decades, Lineage (previously Claus Sørensen A/S) and Nordic Seafood have worked to maintain exceptional food quality and safety in the seafood supply chain, and expanded to strategic locations in Europe while minimizing miles spent on the road.
Lineage is on a mission to transform the food supply chain, driven by the goal to reduce waste and help feed the world. This journey has involved strategic partnerships and acquisitions to expand our global network and reach, allowing us to deliver value to our partners and customers alike. A prime example of this vision is our collaboration with Nordic Seafood, a seafood distributor we have shared over three decades of partnership with, rooted in mutual values and a dedication to quality and food safety. Recently, Nordic Seafood has benefited from Lineage’s extensive cold storage network across Europe.
Our enduring relationship with Nordic Seafood illustrates how long-term collaboration can foster growth across borders, delivering greater value to customers and extending mutual benefits well beyond our local beginnings.
Who is Nordic Seafood?
Founded in 1988 in Hirtshals, Denmark, Nordic Seafood has grown into one of Europe’s leading seafood distributors. Known for its reliability, quality and flexibility, Nordic Seafood specializes in sourcing, processing and distributing high-quality seafood globally, with support from a network of sales companies across Europe. Acquired in 2010 by Nissui Corporation, one of the world’s leaders in seafood, Nordic Seafood has continued to thrive by combining industry experience with strategic partnerships.
Due to the dynamic nature of the industry, the collaboration can be dated back to 1993 when Nordic Seafood’s supplier, Atlantic Rejer A/S, was acquired by Claus Sørensen A/S, a Danish company that later was acquired by Lineage. Over the years, this relationship has evolved from a local collaboration focused on cold storage to a multi-national alliance, providing Nordic Seafood with advanced logistical capabilities across Europe.
A Close Collaboration with Lineage from Day One
The collaboration with Lineage started with supporting Nordic Seafood’s cold storage and retail packaging needs for shrimp and mussels in Hirtshals, Denmark. Conveniently situated side by side at the Port of Hirtshals, Lineage and Nordic Seafood enjoy seamless transfers by truck between these port-centric facilities, optimizing their transportation.
“Our teams, who have worked together for years, maintain daily communication, facilitating rapid joint problem-solving and efficient operations”, explains Morten Jensen, General Manager at Lineage Hirtshals.
Over the years, the collaboration expanded to include additional services, driven by our shared commitment to quality and efficiency. For example, we implemented an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system, integrated with both companies’ ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) platforms, helping ensure real-time inventory and order management. To meet Nordic Seafood’s need for complete transparency and traceability, Lineage’s cold storage facility in Hirtshals obtained IFS (International Featured Standards) certification, further cementing both companies’ commitment to food safety and quality.
The Power of a Network: Minimizing Road Miles While Expanding Across Europe
As Nordic Seafood experienced growth and their distribution needs grew, Lineage’s European network played a pivotal role in aiding their expansion.
By 2023, after talks between Nordic Seafood and Lineage’s European management about strategic locations, Nordic Seafood started utilizing one of Lineage’s Belgian facilities for cold storage and container unloading, then expanded to one of our Italian cold storage facilities in 2024. This setup provides Nordic Seafood with reliable storage and transportation options close to critical markets, helping them optimize distribution while reducing road transport requirements.
“Lineage’s extensive cold storage network in Europe has been a key enabler of our growth,” says Lars Hermes Olsen, CEO at Nordic Seafood. “By utilizing their strategically located facilities, we’ve optimized distribution, reduced miles on the road and helped ensure reliable service for our customers in critical markets.”
Growing and Thriving Together
For over 30 years, the relationship with Nordic Seafood has been a story of growth, adaptability and shared vision. Together, we’ve cultivated a smooth-running collaboration, characterized by mutual understanding, flexibility, resilience and a close-knit connection between our teams, who work side by side to resolve challenges.
The food processing and cold chain industries share similar market trends and challenges. Both industries are also facing higher standards and demands for quality and sustainability.
Looking ahead, our mutual focus on sustainability, operational efficiency and quality assurance points to continued success. By leveraging our expanded network across Europe, we remain committed to delivering exceptional service and helping ensure that the global food supply chain is as efficient and resilient as possible.
