Seafood Industry Veterans Form American Food Partners to Drive North American Growth Strategy
MIAMI, Fla. — June 1, 2023 — A group of seasoned international seafood executives led by industry veteran Ignacio Tirado announced today the founding of American Food Partners (AFP), a specialized investment and management firm established to acquire, integrate, and scale leading companies across the United States seafood sector.
American Food Partners is structured to build a premier, vertically integrated domestic protein platform. The firm will focus on strategic partnerships and full acquisitions of established U.S. harvesters, processors, and distributors, bridging regional coastal infrastructure with broad national commercial supply chains.
"The U.S. market continues to show strong, sustained demand for premium, sustainably sourced wild-caught seafood," said Ignacio Tirado, Principal and Co-Founder of American Food Partners. "Our mission with AFP is to strategically unite industry-leading domestic brands under a single banner, ensuring a robust, traceable supply chain and unparalleled product excellence from dock to table."
AFP’s leadership team brings decades of global operational experience across multiple continents, including extensive networks in sourcing, logistics, and processing. The investment group intends to leverage these global capabilities to expand the product portfolios of its future domestic holdings while preserving their existing regional heritages and supplier relationships.
The firm is actively evaluating its initial pipeline of U.S. target acquisitions, focusing heavily on premium wild-caught species and specialized freezing and processing facilities along the East Coast.
"We are not looking to reshape the legacy of the companies we partner with, but rather to fuel their next phase of development," Tirado added. "By investing in local infrastructure, maintaining commitments to sustainable fisheries management, and injecting global sourcing strength, we believe AFP will set a new standard for quality and reliability in the North American market."
About American Food Partners
Founded in 2023 and guided by a team of seasoned seafood experts, American Food Partners leverages decades of industry knowledge and global networks to invest in and scale top-tier U.S. food production and distribution companies. AFP is dedicated to delivering premium-quality, responsibly sourced seafood to retail, distributor, and foodservice markets nationwide. For more information, visit www.americanfoodpartners.com.