Discarded fish companies unite
It's an interesting move in the game. Two companies that were spun off a few years ago from their parent companies (which wanted to concentrate on core markets) have combined to be the segment leader in North America. That segment is pretty narrow and not very sexy -- branded seafood. But the combination gives the two companies far better reach and mass, so they aren't isolated and vulnerable.
Connors Bros. is a Canadian company that Is the world's leading provider of canned sardines in North America with brands Brunswick, Beach Cliff, and Port Clyde. California-based Bumble Bee is the #1 seafood canner overall and the #2 tuna canner in North America (next to StarKist). It sells its flagship Bumble Bee tuna. It also sells canned shrimp, salmon, crab, sardines, oysters, clams, and mackerel, under the Bumble Bee and Orleans brands, along with king Oscar fresh seafood products. The combined company will have over $900 million in revenue.
The history is parallel. Connors was spun of in 2001 by Canadian bakery and grocery giant George Weston. Bumble Bee was spun off by ConAgra in March of 2003. It's also instructive to note that StarKist was discarded in 2002 by Heinz, when it was picked up by Del Monte Foods.
Small, specialized companies, no matter how successful in their sphere, have to run for cover if they hope to survive and stand up to the giant retailers they have to deal with.
10:34:46 PM 
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