Lagniappe Foods History
Lagniappe was founded in 1985 when Tom Dowd moved back to New Jersey after living in New Orleans for most of his twenties. He cut his teeth in the seafood industry by shucking oysters around the French Quarter. Lagniappe, a word he picked up during his time there, described perfectly how he wanted to conduct business. He wanted to be known for delivering more than is bargained for to his customers and providing that "little something extra". It has remained the core value, even as the company evolved.
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In the beginning, Lagniappe Foods was a wholesaler of Louisiana based products, such as the head-on shrimp that is depicted in the company's logo. Lagniappe originally serviced restaurants and specialty grocers in New York City and the greater tri-state area. Over the years the company started to explore manufacturing its own unique culinary creations. The first facility was opened in 1988 in Orange, New Jersey. From the start, the focus was on making high quality and delicious products by hand. Still today, recipes are made in small batches, and largely by hand.
In 2005 Lagniappe Foods moved to its current location on Mitchell St. in Orange New Jersey. It occupies the old Stetson Hat factory. Today, 100% of the business is dedicated to value added production. The company has amassed a vast network of suppliers and regularly deals in over 30 species of fish, mollusk, shellfish and crustaceans. We have continuously made investments into the equipment and infrastructure, steadily increasing our capacity and capabilities. We are proud to say that our products can now be found in retailers nationwide.
Lagniappe has stood the test of time in a demanding marketplace. Family owned since its inception, the company maintains strong values of cooperation, honesty and loyalty. Our thoughtfully sourced ingredients, attention to detail, and sense for flavor are the cornerstones of our business. All seafood sourcing and product recipes are still managed by the company’s founder, Tom.