Our Story

McGraw Seafood was founded in 1973 by Edmond McGraw and was purchased in 2008 by Elsipogtog First Nation, vertically integrating itself in the supply chain as owner of a major snow crab quota. The BRC-certified company processes snow crab and herring roe for the American and Japanese markets. The Indigenous-owned company directly creates 200 positions, held primarily by Acadians, in addition to another 150 Indigenous fishermen who sell product directly to the plant. Benefits generated by the company are often used to aid in the well-being of the Elsipogtog First Nation. Our vision is to bring honour to Elsipogtog by showcasing the collaboration between the Acadians and the Mi’kmaq.

Continuous improvement

Throughout the winter of 2014-15, McGraw Seafood underwent a $2.5 million expansion to adapt better to the changing Japanese and American markets. The following season, the company processed a record amount of snow crab and herring in its history.

In 2021, McGraw Seafood completed the construction of a state-of-the-art, $26 million snow crab processing facility. The new facility more than doubles the company’s footprint, where it now boasts upwards of 140 000 square feet. In addition to a new building and a professional office, the company invested significantly into building a perfect production line.

Keywords: Snow Crab, Herring Roe, Elsipogtog First Nation, Fisheries