Customer since 1992
One family operation helping another family operation. That’s been the relationship between Bellingham Cold Storage and our Customer of the Quarter, Home Port Seafoods.
The relationship goes way back. Glen Binschus got his first job at 18, stacking frozen halibut at Bellingham Cold Storage. He worked for many companies–Vita Foods, Sea West, and Trident Seafoods. At 51, he turned down a job in Alaska and had the idea to start a processing operation of his own.
Fielding the idea to a few friends, the excitement was resounding. “All the people dad had worked with over the years began to crawl out of the woodwork to offer him money,” said his daughter and vice president of the company, Christie Benson.
Home Port Seafoods was founded in 1992 by Glen Binschus and his wife, Jeanne (right). Daughter Christie Benson (Left) manages the company’s service to 110 customers.
Instead, in 1992 they refinanced their house, emptied their life savings, and took out a small loan. That’s when Bellingham Cold Storage provided them the ideal space and affordable rent to get started.
Home Port Seafoods now filets, vacuum packs, freezes, labels, and packages about 9 million pounds of fish a year. They provide service to 110 customers, from nearby Whatcom county to Germany.
Packaged Salmon
Home Port Seafoods is part of the BCS legacy and family. “It has always been a pleasure to work with Christie and her team. Whenever we needed help, she was there to support us. A lot of our customers are in our complex because Home Port is here ready to process their fish and produce value added items. Home Port Seafoods is a critical piece in our business,“ writes José Roqués, Vice President of Marketing and Sales.
If you’re looking to expand in the US, we have space.
Contact Jose Roques at bcsmarketing@bellcold.com