Mid 1980s: The Ocean Gold brand is conceived by Dennis Rydman while working as a crab fisherman in the Gulf of Mexico.

Late 1980s: Merino Seafoods launches in Westport, WA as a live crab outfit.

1994: Merino Seafoods converts live operation into processing facility.

1996: New Pacific Whiting processing capabilities and a dock expansion are developed.

1997: Merino Seafoods becomes Ocean Gold Seafoods.

2000: Ocean Gold Seafoods becomes one of the largest shoreside processors of pacific whiting on the west coast, averaging nearly 20 percent of the total landed catch.

2002: Research begins into adding sardines to the processing capabilities.

2003: Planning begins for fishmeal facility to handle growing volume and explore sustainable utilization of fish resources.

2005: The fishmeal plant, Ocean Protein, opens in Hoquiam.

2006: Ocean Gold Seafoods is one of a group to pioneer industry-sanctioned sardine stock assessments in partnership with government and regulatory agencies.

2007: Ground is broken on Ocean Cold.

2007: Department of Ecology makes a site visit to Ocean Protein and deems it to be using “best available” odor control technology.

2008: Additional investment in odor control made at Ocean Protein, totaling more than $5M

2008: Ribbon cutting ceremony for Ocean Cold, a 100k square foot cold storage facility

2008: Ocean Protein named local Business of the Year by Small Business Association of America.

2009: Ocean Companies receive MSC certification for all of its Pacific Whiting.

2009: New waste water treatment introduced for Ocean Companies making it the only seafood processor to meet the new source standards set by the Clean Water Act.

2009: Plans begin to bring trucking into the Ocean Companies.

2010: Ocean Express launches, with more than 10 trucks to move product up and down the coast.

The Ocean Gold brand originally established by Dennis Rydman in mid-80s

Ocean Gold Seafoods becomes largest processor of pacific whiting on the west coast

Ocean Protein fishmeal plant opens in 2005 to fully utlize our fish resources

Construction begins on 90k square foot cold storage facility in Westport

Ocean Express integrates transportation with trucking division