This contagious energy inspired a small group to come aboard, united by passion, strength, and sincerity — the very foundations of Mericq’s culture.
This group would grow over the years, but the values remained unchanged.
Today, the third generation stands at the helm, driven by one goal: to honour the work already done and write the next chapter of the story with the entire crew.

Here, people speak up, people speak true — because they believe in their everyday actions just as much as in the big plans for tomorrow.
They know every voice matters, no matter their role in the company — and that voice may hold the idea of the future.

This is how trust and engagement are built within our team.
A culture of excellence and values deeply rooted in our minds, our lives, and even on our walls  : A crew of passionate men and women, determined, and ready to go the extra mile to stay ahead of the tide  

Naturally, this human-centred approach defines all our relationships.
Each client, each supplier, every handshake holds just as much value as it did on day one.
Our partners are at the heart of our organisation, because our success only matters if it’s shared.

We find solutions together and we grow together. This is how Mericq became a story of people and family.

A family story

Serge Mericq, former international rugby player, founded a fish trading company with his wife Colette at the Agen wholesale market (MIN), his hometown, to supply fishmongers in the Agenais area and Bordeaux’s Capucins market.

 An extra…ordinary adventure 

At just 18, André Abadie, Serge Mericq’s nephew, joined the business and began its expansion.
It was the start of an extra…ordinary journey.

First presence in GMS

The business diversified and moved into traditional supermarket counters in southwest France. Our model began to evolve.

Development of fish processing and geographic expansion

The first site opened in Arcachon, followed by expansion into auctions across the Bay of Biscay.
Mericq launched fish processing and developed local trade through these new facilities. It marked the beginning of external growth.

Entry into the restaurant trade

The Saint-Jean-de-Luz site manager built on his expertise to develop partnerships with traditional restaurants  : our client portfolio evolved.
It marked a new era  with 24/7 customer service to meet restaurateurs’ specific needs.

A production facility to meet self-service demands

Mericq built its own seafood processing and packaging facility to meet the growing demands of the self-service market.

Heading to the Mediterranean 

A new human adventure took us to the Mediterranean coast to develop local trade in that region.

Opening a retail store to test our innovations

R&D ambitions led us to open a store in Agen — a full-scale testing lab for our products, and a local showcase for our expertise.

Mericq becomes the French market leader in live shellfish

We set our course for Brittany, the leading region for artisanal fishing in France, known for its unique diversity of shellfish.
A new chapter began  with the Béganton group joining us.
Our client portfolio continued to grow, meeting the needs of wholesalers, purchasing centres, food industry clients and export partners across Europe.

Quality at the heart of our strategy

By putting quality at the core of our strategy, Mericq chose to invest in its own in-house quality lab.

Premiumisation of customer service

Heading toward premium service in foodservice : La Poissonnerie de Puget and Agde joined our crew to become a key player in the Var and Alpes-Maritimes regions.   

Creation of the Seafood Academy

Because we strongly believe our crew is the key to our growth, and because we’re convinced of the power of teamwork, we created the Seafood Academy — our internal training organisation, a real lever of performance and competitiveness.

Launch of our E-Commerce App

Beyond being a true innovation in the seafood sector, the MERICQ app is above all a smart solution that brings us even closer to our clients, available 24/7.
Digital has become a new driver to set new standards in service.

Mericq becomes Europe’s leader in wild shellfish, bridging Northern and Southern Europe

The first chapter of our international story : we set up operations in Ireland to strengthen our sourcing and become Europe’s leader in wild shellfish.
A meeting with the Trahan family sealed a new alliance : the family-owned company Breizon joined us.  

Wildomar: The Spanish expert in premium shellfish

In April 2023, Wildomar joined our adventure. At Mericq, we value human stories and sharing know-how.
Naturally, we saw Mariscos Wildomar as a partner of choice, with exceptional expertise.
Their unique hand-sorting approach to clams makes them a key player as we continue our international journey.

Alliance with Maison Blanc

Mericq and Maison Blanc joined forces with a shared ambition: to combine their expertise and accelerate their growth in France while promoting their seafood excellence internationally.
A partnership between two family businesses committed to the highest standards in seafood.