The Safari Executive Interview Series: Adam Caslow on Leading Acme Smoked Fish

Today we’re speaking with Adam Caslow, Managing Partner of Acme Smoked Fish Corp., the largest producer of smoked salmon in North America. A fourth-generation family business widely regarded as the smoked fish experts, Acme traces its origins back to 1906 and has grown through a rare combination of tradition, innovation, and thoughtful succession planning.

In 2020, Acme partnered with Danish smokehouse Norlax A/S, a move that significantly expanded its production capabilities and access to international markets. That partnership has helped Acme stay at the forefront of food processing technology, operational best practices, and raw material sourcing. More recently, Acme has taken bold steps to future-proof the business through multi-phase climate impact assessments, packaging innovation, and a growing commitment to traceability. In 2024, the company joined 1% for the Planet and pledged a portion of total cold-smoked salmon retail sales to fund environmental initiatives.

Adam, a frequent speaker at industry events like Seafood Expo North America, is increasingly recognized as a leader and champion of sustainable seafood production at scale. We sat down with Adam to talk about digital transformation, the company’s evolving sustainability strategy, and what it takes to steward a 120-year-old business into its next phase of growth.

Acme is a fourth-generation family business. What’s your approach to leading a legacy brand in today’s landscape?
Legacy gives you staying power, but if you’re not careful, it can also make you slow to change. We’re constantly balancing respect for our roots with a sense of urgency about the future. What’s kept us growing is an openness to evolve, whether that’s in how we source, how we package, or how we think about our impact. My job is to honor what came before while setting the business up for another hundred years of relevance.

How do you balance preserving legacy with driving transformation?
It’s a tightrope, but one we embrace. Our legacy gives us a strong foundation of trust, craftsmanship, and core values. But legacy alone isn’t a growth strategy. The challenge is modernizing without losing what makes Acme “Acme.” That’s where digital transformation, product innovation, and partnerships—like with Acme Chile and Norlax—as well as recent acquisitions, come into play. We’re bridging the gap between our history and the data, our intuition and generational experience with modern insights.

Acme’s evolution seems to include a serious commitment to sustainability. How has that shaped your operations?
It’s become part of how we think, not just how we report. We’ve invested in traceability systems, GHG tracking, and reducing food and packaging waste. In North Carolina, we installed a compactor to recycle Styrofoam and save on landfill volume and freight. In New York, we’ve upgraded our refrigeration systems to dramatically cut refrigerant emissions. And across our facilities, we’ve begun utilizing fish trim for alternative revenue streams to divert organic waste. Each of these things might seem small, but together, they change the profile of the business.

Acme joined 1% for the Planet in 2024. Why take that step?
We wanted to make a commitment that went beyond our internal efforts. By pledging a portion of our cold-smoked salmon retail sales, we’re funding environmental initiatives like our Seafood Industry Climate Awards. It’s also a way for customers and consumers to participate in a positive change. Every package helps support early-stage projects focused on decarbonization and equity in seafood. We see that as part of being a responsible brand, and frankly, it’s where the future is headed.

How do you think about growth at Acme? What does value creation look like from where you sit?
Value creation starts with operational discipline. Over the last few years, we’ve streamlined logistics, invested in smarter packaging systems, and retooled production flows to reduce water, energy, and material use. We’ve also focused on data, yield tracking, energy performance, and material inputs. That visibility helps us make sharper decisions. Growth is about scale, sure, but it’s also about precision. The better we run, the more resilient we become.

And digital transformation, how does that fit into a business like Acme’s?
In seafood, you don’t get a ton of second chances. So, visibility and traceability are everything. We use platforms like Trace Register to align with global standards for species monitoring. That transparency builds trust with buyers and regulators. Beyond that, we’re exploring automation and machine learning to improve consistency, reduce waste, and make quality more predictable. We’ve always put quality at the forefront. That’s not changing, but we’re now placing technology at the center of how we improve.

Digital transformation in food manufacturing can be tough. How are you approaching it?
We’ve made significant investments in automation, data analytics, and traceability. We’ve upgraded our ERP system to better understand everything from procurement to customer demand. A big focus is visibility across our supply chain, not just to manage costs, but to ensure we’re sourcing responsibly. Our Board has been tremendously supportive. Their combined operational and brand-building expertise has helped us prioritize and scale digital initiatives faster than ever before.

Finally, how would you describe Acme’s culture today?
It’s grounded in the idea that craft and scale can coexist. We still have team members who can hand-slice lox. And we’re also onboarding new production tech and rethinking workflows with a sustainability lens. Culture isn’t static, it’s shaped by what you reward, what you measure, and how you show up. What we want is a culture that’s focused on quality, built on trust, and excited about what’s next. If we get that right, the rest tends to follow.

Acme Smoked Fish exemplifies the kind of enduring, values-driven business that continues to thrive through disciplined innovation and generational leadership. For more insights into how family-owned companies are shaping the future of consumer brands, visit traubcapitalpartners.com.