| Blount Fine Foods | |
| Type: | Private |
| Location City: | Fall River, Massachusetts |
| Location Country: | USA |
| Key People: | Todd Blount (CEO and President) |
| Products: | seafood products, artisan soups, prepared foods |
Blount Fine Foods, formerly Blount Seafood, is a prepared foods and soup manufacturer that produces wholesale frozen and fresh soups under the Blount brand as well as Panera Bread and Legal Sea Foods.[1] [2] [3] Blount Fine Foods is headquartered in Fall River, Massachusetts with a production facility in Warren, Rhode Island.[4]
Blount Seafood Corporation was founded by F. Nelson Blount, whose family was involved in the shellfish industry since the 1880s. After a 1938 hurricane devastated the oyster business in Narragansett Bay, Blount helped introduce the bay quahog (a hard-shell clam) as a source of protein during the Second World War. In 1946, he entered the food-processing industry and consolidated several smaller shellfish firms to found the company, which provided chopped clams to soup manufacturers throughout the United States, including Campbell Soup.[2] [5] The corporation changed its name to Blount Fine Foods, Inc. in 2008.[4] Todd Blount has served as president and CEO since 2000, and is the third generation of the Blount family to lead the company.[1] [2] [5] In 2004, Blount Fine Foods expanded from its Warren location to include a headquarters facility in Fall River.[2]
In October 2010, the company installed an energy efficient refrigeration system, eco-friendly water filtration system, and solar panels as part of the company’s project to keep the business green.[2]
In 2011, Blount Fine Foods completed an expansion project that added 58,000 square feet to the pre-existing 65,000 square feet Fall River site.[1] [3] The company no longer processes seafood and has focused its business model to offer artisan prepared foods and introduced a line of prepared sides and sauces.[1] [2] [6] In addition, Blount Fine Foods has opened its retail branch, such as Blount Clam Shack and Soup Bar.[7] [8] In December 2011, the company received the Refrigerated Foods Processor of the Year award by Refrigerated & Frozen Foods magazine.[9] [10]
In 2013, the company launched a line of single-serving soups and macaroni and cheese.[3] [5]
In 2016, the company acquired Food Source, LP in McKinney, Texas.