In 1984, Willy’s Fancy Fish founder, Willy Arundel, was working as a commercial salmon fisherman and had just completed a diploma in international marketing. Willy realized that there was very little secondary processing of fish products in British Columbia. By 1985 Willy had developed a partnership with a Master German Sausage Maker. Together they developed a fresh, refrigerated salmon pate. They quickly realized that shelf stable product provided a more viable long term business opportunity.

Specialized canning equipment and light weight easy open aluminum cans were imported from Germany to process a product that would meet the needs of the growing tourism trade globally. Over the years the company added shrimp, crab, trout, and lobster to its line of canned pates. The company also became Canada’s first production facility for smoked salmon in retort pouches.

Willy’s Fancy Fish continues to produce pate’s and smoked salmon pouches from facilities located in B.C., Canada as well as across the border in Washington State, U.S.A.

Today, most of the company production is sold under private label to distributors in Canada and the U.S.A.. Willy’s Fancy Fish also markets raw and smoked salmon meat that is used by other manufacturers of specialty seafood products for foodservice and retail markets.