May 8, 2020 — Fresh and frozen seafood has been leaving Lund’s Fisheries Inc., in Cape May, despite an initial slowdown from COVID-19 restrictions closing many restaurants and other food establishments.
The company received federal funding to help offset expenses during the pandemic and has been able to keep its five facilities operating.
“I can’t say we’ve been necessarily profitable during this time,” said Wayne Reichle, president and owner, “but it was important to us that our employees and their families knew they could depend on us during this time. “The federal funding will help offset costs such as labor, leases and other expenses.”
No employees were laid off as a result of the virus, according to Reichle. There are 150 employees between their facilities in Cape May and Bridgeton. They have two facilities on the West Coast and another was recently added in Bedford, MA.
The virus and restrictions occurred during, what Reichle called, their “transition period,” when the winter fishing season ends and the summer fish and scallop season begins.