Canada Frozen Shrimp and Prawn Importers List 2019

Verified directory of 22 Canadian importer companies buying frozen shrimp, prawn, and seafood fishery products. Sourced from the official Government of Canada Canadian Importers Database (ISED). Coverage spans Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec), Ontario, and Pacific coast (British Columbia) — Canada's three primary seafood import corridors.

📊 Canada Frozen Shrimp & Prawn Market Overview (2019)

Canada is among the world's top 15 importers of frozen shrimp and prawn, with annual imports valued at approximately CAD 950 million – 1.1 billion in 2019 (HS 0306.16, 0306.17). Domestic cold-water shrimp production — primarily Pandalus borealis (northern pink shrimp) from Newfoundland/Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Quebec's Gulf of St. Lawrence — totals only ~75,000 tonnes/year (live/processed weight) and is largely directed to export markets (USA, EU, China). The much larger domestic consumption of shrimp and prawn — particularly warm-water species such as Penaeus vannamei (whiteleg) and Penaeus monodon (black tiger) — is met through imports from India (~25% of total imports), Vietnam (~15%), Thailand (~12%), Indonesia (~10%), China (~8%), Ecuador (~6%), and Argentina (~5%, cold-water shrimp Pleoticus muelleri).

Canada's frozen shrimp import market is geographically segmented: Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland) handles cold-water shrimp and Atlantic prawn imports + processing for re-export; Quebec has the largest concentration of French-Canadian importers (Commerce Soline, Fruits de Mer Lagoon, Pêcheries Océanic, Les Fruits de Mer IFC, Distribution Frères Magid); Ontario (Toronto/Brampton/Burlington area) is the largest domestic consumption market and home to major multi-category foodservice distributors (Export Packers, TFI Foods, Oceanprime, Morgan Foods, Midland Food Products, Toppits Foods); British Columbia (Vancouver) serves Pacific Rim trade with significant imports from China, Vietnam, Thailand (Aqua Star Canada, Chinook Trading, Ocean Packers, Maximum Seafood, Premier Marine).

The largest single importer in Canada is High Liner Foods Inc. (TSX: HLF) — headquartered in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia — which processes and distributes roughly 100,000+ tonnes of frozen seafood annually across North America under the High Liner, Mirabel, Fisher Boy, Icelandic, and Ocean Cuisine brands. Other key players include Export Packers (Brampton ON — major foodservice), Toppits Foods (Burlington ON — specialist frozen shrimp), and Aqua Star Canada (BC — Pacific seafood).

🦐 Canadian Frozen Shrimp & Prawn Importers — 22 Companies

Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) — Canadian Importers Database

🏷️ HS Codes for Frozen Shrimp & Prawn Imports to Canada

Source: WCO Harmonized System 2022 + Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Customs Tariff 2019. Canada applies MFN tariffs of 0–5% ad valorem on most frozen shrimp imports, with 0% rates under CETA (EU), CPTPP (Asia-Pacific), and NAFTA/USMCA (US/Mexico) preferential agreements.

🌍 Supplier Countries — Where Canadian Importers Source Frozen Shrimp & Prawn

Source: Statistics Canada (International Trade Division), ISED Canadian Importers Database 2019, and DFO (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) Landings Statistics. Warm-water shrimp (~85% of imports by volume) and cold-water shrimp (~15% by volume, mostly Atlantic Canada).

🏛️ Source & Methodology

This directory of 22 Canadian frozen shrimp and prawn importer companies is sourced from the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) — Canadian Importers Database (CID), publicly accessible at http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cid-dic.nsf/eng/Home. The CID is the Government of Canada's official database of Canadian companies that import goods — searchable by HS code, product keyword, and company name. The list reflects 2019 active importer records for HS 0306 (crustaceans — frozen shrimp & prawn) classifications.

The bilingual scope of Canadian importers is reflected in this directory — many companies appear with both English and French names (e.g., High Liner Foods Incorporated / Les Aliments High Liner Inco; Les Fruits de Mer IFC Inc. / IFC Seafood Inc.; Pêcheries Océanic Inc. / Oceanic Fisheries Inc.; TFI Foods Ltd. / Les Aliments TFI Ltée). This is normal in Canadian federal business records — businesses operating in Quebec or federally-incorporated companies are required to maintain bilingual registered names under Canada's Official Languages Act.

💡 For International Shrimp & Prawn Exporters Targeting Canada

International frozen shrimp and prawn exporters — especially from India, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Ecuador, and Argentina — will find Canada to be a stable, growing market with annual import value approaching CAD 1 billion. The Canadian market favors:

• Sustainable sourcing certification — Canadian seafood buyers increasingly require MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification or ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) certification for warm-water shrimp. EU-style catch documentation is also expected.
• Value-added formats — cooked & peeled (C&P), peel & eat (P&E), breaded/battered shrimp, and easy-peel (EZ Peel) formats command premium pricing in Canadian retail (Loblaw, Sobeys, Metro, Costco Canada).
• Bilingual packaging — French/English labeling is legally required for retail sale in Quebec and federal retail channels.
• CFIA compliance — Canadian Food Inspection Agency requires all imported seafood to meet strict microbiological, heavy metal, and antibiotic residue standards. Exporters must be on the CFIA "Approved Establishment List" for their country.

The most promising entry points for new exporters: (1) Direct B2B outreach to the 22 importer companies listed above — particularly mid-size specialist firms (Toppits Foods, Aqua Star Canada, Maximum Seafood, Oceanprime) who handle new supplier onboardings faster than large multinational processors (High Liner Foods); (2) Seafood Expo North America (SENA) — annual Boston trade fair where most Canadian buyers are present; (3) Lobster & Shrimp Expo Canada — regional trade event; (4) CFIA-approved establishment pre-qualification is the prerequisite to any commercial dialogue.

TurkExim — Canadian Seafood B/L Database

Need customs declaration (B/L) data for all Canadian frozen shrimp & prawn importers? TurkExim Data Desk offers the complete importer database with B/L records for HS codes 0306.16, 0306.17, 0306.36, 0306.26, 0306.27, 1605.21 — with supplier countries (India, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Ecuador, Argentina, Greenland, Mexico), import volumes, declared values, ports of entry (Halifax, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto), and consignee company names. Excel/CSV formats. WhatsApp for pricing.