Raven Bay Seafoods Gets Kraken in Unalaska
Dustan Dickerson connected with the Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in fall of 2017 to further advance his micro-seafood processing facility in Dutch Harbor. Much like a microbrewery, Raven Bay Seafoods specifically caters to the craft of octopus processing. By working with fish species that only come in small amounts, that is, non-target species for which there is no directed fishery, they are able to provide seafood options that are not typically available for the average consumer.
To add to his success, in the spring of this year, Dickerson won the first Aleutian Marketplace Business Plan Competition ensuring a $10,000 investment in Raven Bay Seafoods. Operating as an octopus-bycatch specialty seafood small business allows Raven Bay Seafoods to further diversify the local economy while also remaining committed to community sustainability. About his journey, Dickerson shared, “Our business advisor at the SBDC, Bryan Zak, was instrumental in getting us through the financial areas of our business plan. His knowledge of banking and contacts within the industry were invaluable. Whether private, state, or federal, he was familiar with the programs available. He knew where to go and how to get the best rates on the right amount of capital needed to launch our product.”
Alaska SBDC Kenai Peninsula Regional Director, Bryan Zak shared, “Working with Captain Dickerson from Dutch Harbor was something few SBDC business advisors can say they have ever done. As Alaskan business advisors, we are able to serve unique businesses around our great state which makes our job that much more exciting on a daily basis. At the Alaska SBDC, we are proud to serve clients throughout Alaska and our clients’ success is our success that continues to motivate us as we continually improve our ability to serve our clients. Raven Bay Seafoods encompasses this perfectly.”
Connect with Raven Bay Seafoods at ravenbayfish@yahoo.com
