Antarctica Advisors, the Seafood Industry-focused advisory firm, acted as the investment banking advisor to Ocean Choice International ("OCI") in the CAD 240m ($177.6m) refinancing of its credit facilities with a syndicate of Canadian and U.S. lenders.
St. John's, Newfoundland-based OCI is a leading vertically integrated seafood company engaged in harvesting, processing and marketing of a diverse range of Groundfish and Shellfish species for domestic and international markets.
OCI operates six frozen-at-sea fishing vessels and five processing plants employing over 1,700 people in Atlantic Canada and at sales offices around the world.
Martin Sullivan, the CEO of OCI, commented: "This transaction is an important milestone for the future of OCI as a leading global seafood supplier. The company has now secured a flexible capital structure that will allow OCI to continue to grow and develop our operations for the benefit of all stakeholders, including our customers, our employees and the communities in which we operate.
The Seafood Team at Antarctica provided OCI with valuable support at this critical junction of the company's history. Throughout the refinancing process Antarctica worked closely with the company and the lenders in arranging and closing a long-term capital structure that fits our needs."
Antarctica Advisors is an independent investment banking advisory firm providing its corporate clients in the Food Industry with wide range of specialized services, including capital raise and balance sheet restructuring advise.
Antarctica's Seafood Team is uniquely positioned to assist our clients due to our combination of industry knowledge, financing expertise and track record of success in debt arranging and structuring with a deep reach into the North American financing community.
Ignacio Kleiman, Managing Partner of Antarctica Advisors, commented: "The new capital structure provides OCI with the flexibility to continue on its path and pursue new and exciting opportunities.
“Our Seafood Team leveraged its relationships in the North American credit markets to identify the capital providers and subsequently arrange for and negotiate a financing structure that is tailored to the needs of OCI."
