May 7, 2021 — Santa Monica Seafood suffered tremendous losses at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – similar to other distributors and processors that primarily relied on the foodservice channel. But the tide has turned in the past year, according to Santa Monica Seafood President and CEO Roger O’Brien.
Due to restaurant closures beginning last March, the Rancho Dominguez, California, U.S.A.-based company saw some of its foodservice customers unable to pay its bills. Others shifted from 30-day payments to paying 60 days out from delivery. Santa Monica was forced to lay off around 25 workers, but kept on more than 750 employees, according to O’Brien.