Larry’s Catch received offers from three investors on CBC’s Dragons’ Den after the Canadian seafood delivery company pitched its business during a nationally televised episode that aired Jan. 22.
The appearance marked a milestone for the privately-held company and its three co-founders, who used the broadcast to present their strategy for expanding access to wild-caught Canadian seafood through a direct-to-consumer delivery and subscription model.
National television debut
The episode, which aired on CBC Television at 8 p.m. and is available for streaming on CBC Gem, was Larry’s Catch’s first appearance on national television. The founders—Glen Creaser, James Quinn and Javier Mejorada—outlined the origins of the business and its focus on sourcing seafood from Canadian fisheries and delivering products directly to customers’ homes.
According to the company, the pitch generated strong interest from the Dragons, resulting in three separate offers during the broadcast.
“Pitching on Dragons’ Den is a milestone we never imagined when we started Larry’s Catch,” says Glen Creaser, co-founder of Larry’s Catch. “This is bigger than a business moment for us, it’s a chance to spotlight Canadian fishermen and make premium, wild-caught seafood easier to access nationwide. Getting to share our story on a national stage means everything as the exposure helps us move our mission forward faster than we could on our own.”
Focus on scaling operations
Larry’s Catch said the response from the Dragons aligns with its longer-term plans to expand operations while maintaining relationships with Canadian fisheries. The company framed the on-air interest as validation of its efforts to grow responsibly and broaden its customer base without changing its sourcing standards.
As part of the broadcast’s timing, Larry’s Catch launched a promotion tied to the episode’s premiere, offering a $10 discount for new customers purchasing the company’s seafood products.
Business origins
Larry’s Catch was founded by Creaser, Quinn and Mejorada, who are also behind the technology startup Afino. The seafood business takes its name from Creaser’s father, Larry, a fisherman who influenced the company’s focus on seafood sourcing and distribution.
The idea for the business emerged after Creaser moved from Nova Scotia to Ontario in 2016 and found that fresh seafood was less readily available. According to the company, early informal deliveries of seafood from Nova Scotia to Ontario were shared among friends and family before evolving into a formal business.
The company cited seafood consumption figures to illustrate the market opportunity, noting that Ontarians consume an average of 16 pounds of seafood per person, compared with a global per-capita average of 44 pounds.
Supply chain and delivery model
Larry’s Catch works directly with what it describes as certified sustainable family fisheries across Canada’s Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic coasts. The company sources a range of products, including black cod, halibut, crab, lobster and scallops.
All products are individually quick-frozen within hours of being caught, a process the company says is designed to preserve flavour, texture and freshness. Customers can order pre-curated seafood boxes or assemble custom selections, with options for recurring deliveries or one-time purchases. Orders can be paused, skipped or cancelled.
The company currently delivers across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Community commitments
Larry’s Catch also highlighted its support for MS Canada, linking the partnership to the personal experience of Creaser’s father, who lives with multiple sclerosis and was forced into early retirement due to the disease. The company said its support is intended to contribute to improving quality of life for Canadians affected by MS and to advancing related research.
The Dragons’ Den appearance comes as Larry’s Catch seeks to leverage national exposure to expand its customer base and advance its growth strategy within Canada’s food delivery and subscription market.
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