BENSENVILLE, IL / OXFORD, NC– November 15, 2022 — Fortune International, LLC (“Fortune”), the country’s leading processor, distributor and importer of quality seafood, meats and gourmet products, today announced the opening of a new warehouse and distribution facility in North Carolina, further expanding the company’s reach in the expanding Southeast market.
The new 40,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility is located in Oxford, North Carolina, a day’s drive of more than 170 million customers in the United Sates. The facility will begin serving primarily D’Artagnan products but soon act as a regional hub to offer the full Fortune Fish & Gourmet portfolio to their retail and foodservice customers throughout the Southeast, including the greater metropolitan areas of Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, and Atlanta, as well as Tennessee and South Carolina, over time.
Founded in 1985 by Ariane Daguin, D’Artagnan was sold to Fortune in March 2022 and today operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortune Fish & Gourmet. As now the largest distribution site for the Fortune products on the East Coast outside of New Jersey, the new Oxford facility is expected to create 23 new jobs for Granville County, North Carolina.
“The Southeast has an incredible culinary scene and offers a wonderful opportunity for us to bring the best-in-class brands, service and quality to many new restaurants, retailers and customers,” said Sean J. O’Scannlain, Fortune’s President and CEO. “We are proud to expand and deepen our relationships across the eastern seaboard, and to do so with the tremendous support of Governor Roy Cooper, the North Carolina Department of Commerce and Granville County Economic Development.”
Ariane Daguin, founder of D’Artagnan, commented: “Our whole team remains excited about developing our sales in this beautiful region. We have followed the food scene in the Carolinas and Southeast for years and believe we can create a very positive impact as the premium supplier to an entire new generation of top chefs, restauranteurs and retailers just as we first did in New York City and other major markets.”
“This is a great economic win and we welcome these new jobs to our home,” said Harry Mills, Director of Economic Development Granville County. “When you combine this location with a transportation infrastructure and a skilled pipeline of talent, distributors across all industries have the winning ingredients for success.”
Fortune International, LLC
Fortune International, LLC, is the parent operating company of Fortune Fish & Gourmet, a full-service processor and distributor providing white-tablecloth restaurants, private clubs, elegant hotels and gourmet retail stores with the finest quality fresh, live, and frozen seafood and gourmet foods. The company handles more than 20,000 seafood and gourmet products daily, selected to exceed the high standards embraced by its quality focused customer base. Fortune currently services more than 15,000 customers throughout the United States with a fleet of refrigerated vehicles, and nationally through FedEx and common carriers. For more information, visit www.fortunefishco.net.
