People, Planet, Prawns.

The Big Prawn Co. was founded out of a genuine love of incredible shellfish (we’re not just about prawns – but they are the main event) and a desire to bring the best quality products to the plates of the UK.

We care deeply about the sustainability of all the species we fish, the people who work for us and their communities: and of course we care about the environment which means we don’t just take our responsibility to the planet seriously, we embrace it – it’s at the heart of everything we do.

  • Established in 1995

  • Employ over 100 people

  • Experts in shellfish

Changing the industry standard for the better

We’re constantly working to deliver best practice policies that support workers, local communities and the planet.

We combine personal visits to sites we source from with independent third party audits, alongside industry-recognised certification schemes. Where necessary we implement aquaculture and fishery improvement initiatives to help smaller suppliers work towards accreditation that will help them gain access to new markets and improve practices in their community.

Innovative packaging

We’re focused in the use of innovation to “design out” the environmental impacts of unnecessary plastics used in the food industry, helping us lead the way in changing culture for the future. We were awarded ‘The Most Innovative Packaging Award’ at the Food Management Today industry awards for our 100% recyclable, compostable, biodegradable Plastic Free frozen seafood pack from a JEM (JUST EARTH MATERIALS®) Patented carton for Aldi Seafood Selections.

Supporting Community Action

We’ve always valued our community work, and over the years we’ve supported many brilliant causes in an effort to give something back. One group we’ll always remember is Walking With The Wounded. Back in 2011 we sponsored their trek to the North Pole to raise money for those injured in military service. We’re pretty sure we’re the only shellfish supplier who can say their flag has made it to the North Pole!

Supporting Best Aquaculture Practice

We recently supported our supplier Deyan Aquatic Products & Food Co. Ltd. to achieve the status of the world’ first company to offer two-star BAP crayfish from the Global Aquaculture Alliance, when two of its processing plants and two of its farms attained BAP certification. Deyan is one of China’s leading crayfish producers and we have been sourcing from them for many years.

Zero to landfill award

We’re proud of our commitment to a zero to landfill policy – it’s something that we believe really matters for the future, so we were delighted to be awarded the Greener Path award by ACM Environmental PLC for achieving Zero to Landfill in 2020.

The Very Rare Birth of a Sumatran Rhino Calf

We recently celebrated the very rare birth of a Sumatran rhino calf at the Sumatran rhino sanctuary, one of the organisations we support alongside our friends at The Happy Prawn Co.

Sumatran rhinos are one of the most endangered animals on the planet, with numbers left estimated to be between just 30 and 80, so we were delighted to hear that Rosa had successfully delivered her calf.

Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard Accreditation

Our crab supplier in Cromer was recently made one of the first UK organisations to be awarded the RFVS – Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard accreditation.

The standard aims to ensure the safety and wellbeing of fishermen, as well as guaranteeing operational best practice – right from catch to shore, which we see as vital for the future of sustainable, responsible seafood sourcing.

Our state of the art

Norfolk Headquarters

Our recent investment includes a brand-new prawn cooking facility, as well as an annual pack capacity of 50 million units, 6 production lines, chilled and frozen operations.

And whilst we’ve tripled our operational footprint in the last 5 years, we’ve also halved our energy use.

Our History

We’re based in Norfolk, UK, and since we began in 1995 we’ve been on a mission to source the best shellfish from around the world to supply to UK retailers, wholesalers and foodservice: building a network of communities who share our love of excellent shellfish, from provenance to plate.

We’ve grown up as a business with our philosophy of always challenging ourselves and the industry to think big, and do better – and that’s what we’ll always do.

Recruitment

Join Our Community

If you’d like to join our team of enthusiastic and dedicated people, keep an eye on our LinkedIn page, where we advertise roles as and when they come up. Even if we’re not currently advertising any roles, we’re always interested in hearing from people who are also fans of bold thinking on sustainability, community and of course, any fellow shellfish enthusiasts. If you’re interested, please email: hr@bigprawn.com