Tantalizers Plc has signed a five-year multimillion-dollar offtake agreement with U.S.-based Harvester Fisheries LLC for the export of premium wild-caught tiger prawns and shrimps.
The deal marks a major push into the global seafood market at a time Nigeria is battling low domestic fish production, pressure on artisanal fishers, and complaints about industrial trawling.
The company said Tantalizers Plc and its subsidiary, Tantalizers Fisheries Limited, will supply Harvester Fisheries with minimum annual quantities of prawns and shrimps over the contract period.
It is one of the most ambitious export moves by a Nigerian food retail brand.
Harvester Fisheries, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts – one of America’s largest fishing ports – distributes premium seafood to retail chains, restaurants, and institutional buyers across North America.
The company said it is confident in Tantalizers’ production systems and compliance with global standards.
Tantalizers Fisheries operates from a designated Free Trade Zone and is fully export-oriented. It handles trawling, harvesting, processing, and the export of wild-caught shrimp and prawn products.
The company said its operations meet international benchmarks on quality, traceability, and food safety.
“This agreement marks a significant milestone in our diversification strategy and underscores Tantalizers’ evolution from a purely quick service restaurant brand into a global food, retail, and entertainment group with a strong export footprint,” said Robert Speijer, Group Managing Director of Tantalizers Plc.
He added, “The partnership strengthens our global supply chain integration and positions Nigeria as a credible source of high-quality seafood for the North American market.”
A Strained Sector
The announcement comes as Nigeria’s fisheries sector faces serious strain, issues Pluboard has reported extensively.
Artisanal fishers complain of shrinking catches, insecurity, overfishing by industrial and foreign trawlers, and lack of government response to challenges in the sector. Nigeria now leans heavily on fish imports even as more companies eye exports.
The Tantalizers–Harvester deal adds fresh optimism to Nigeria’s non-oil export ambitions. But it also sharpens long-standing debates over sustainability, resource management, and the survival of coastal livelihoods.
A Company in Transformation
The agreement is the latest step in Tantalizers’ expansion beyond its fast-food roots. In the last year, the company has pushed into entertainment, seafood supply, and broadcast media.
In December 2024, Tantalizers acquired DanBethel Marine Services Limited, an Apapa-based marine and fishing company. In May 2025, it bought Grand Media Projects Limited, an entertainment firm co-founded by filmmaker Tade Ogidan.
By July 2025, it had signed an MoU with Degue Broadcasting Network (DBN) Television – formally entering Nigeria’s traditional broadcast space.
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