St. Jean’s: 65 Years of Innovation, Community and Growth

For more than 65 years, St. Jean’s Cannery & Smokehouse has adapted, evolved and found new ways to bring West Coast seafood to customers.

The story began in Nanaimo in 1961, when Armand St. Jean started smoking oysters. Looking for a better way to preserve his products, he turned to canning and smoking, laying the foundation for what would become a well-known Canadian seafood company.

In the 1980s, Armand and his son expanded with a new processing plant. A major opportunity followed at Expo 86, helping introduce the St. Jean’s brand to a much wider audience and eventually onto supermarket shelves.

Over the years, the company continued to adapt, expanding into co-packing for other food businesses and acquiring the Raincoast Trading brand. Another important chapter began in 2015 when Nuu-chah-nulth interests acquired majority ownership of St. Jean’s. The remaining shares were purchased in 2024, making the company 100 per cent Nuu-chah-nulth owned.

Today, St. Jean’s products can be found in approximately 2,000 stores across Canada, with Raincoast Trading helping drive its retail presence.

The company is also building its Gratitude Seafood line, which reflects a commitment to giving back. A percentage of proceeds from Gratitude products is directed to Nuu-chah-nulth communities to support community initiatives.

That commitment extends beyond retail. St. Jean’s offers Nuu-chah-nulth Nations special processing rates for food fish, helping families preserve their catch affordably so it can be enjoyed throughout the year.

St. Jean’s also continues to support the broader community, including through its sponsorship of the Port Alberni Salmon Festival.

“NEDC has played a vital role in St. Jean’s business plans,” says Alan Thompson, President of St. Jean’s Cannery & Smokehouse. “Knowing that we have a funding option available that works well for our business needs gives us confidence in our forward planning.”

While its roots remain firmly on Vancouver Island, the company is looking beyond Canada for its next opportunities. Trade missions to Mexico and Japan are helping St. Jean’s explore international markets and potential partnerships. At home, the team continues to develop new products and explore opportunities to grow the Gratitude line.

This November will bring another first: the launch of the St. Jean’s 24-day Advent Calendar, featuring a selection of products available through St. Jean’s kiosks and online. The calendar will launch after Thanksgiving, just in time for the holiday season.

From smoked oysters in 1961 to international market development today, St. Jean’s continues to build on its history while creating opportunities for the future.

Now proudly 100 per cent Nuu-chah-nulth owned, its success is about more than what is on the shelf. It is about building a sustainable Indigenous-owned company that strengthens communities while sharing West Coast products with a growing audience.