During the 2016 presidential primary, Legal Sea Foods launched a parody on the campaign theme. On Super Tuesday, Roger Berkowitz declared himself a candidate for president of the United States in a parody advertising campaign of the “shady” election. Among other things, he promised he would legalize seaweed on his first day in office, and he urged voters to #feeltheberk on social media. [73] The spots were broadcast in newspapers, radio and print media. [74] The “Welcome to Legal” campaign was launched in 2019 with ads alluding to the legality of marijuana in Massachusetts. The campaign received national attention, with comments from posts such as AdWeek and AdAge. [69] [75] In addition, according to Berkowitz, Legal is working on a number of “other products” that will be sold in grocery stores. It already sells clam chowder at some Ahold, Costco and BJ wholesale stores. Berkowitz expects the new line to enter service by the end of the first quarter of 2021. “After selling to them for over 30 years, I received this letter telling me they would not pay me for the products they bought and used from September to December,” the sales representative wrote.
“They know it would cost me more to fight in court than I would get, and the same goes for the other 150 or so people they stiffened up.” Family succession also played a role in the decision to sell, Berkowitz said. “The pandemic has changed things dramatically,” says Roger Berkowitz, President and CEO of Legal Sea Foods since 1992. He had no plans to sell his restaurants – at least not anytime soon – before COVID-19 hit the industry. But Berkowitz says Legal`s business in its suburbs has declined by about 40 percent; In urban areas, it was more like 75%. And while he will retain legal designation rights for retail businesses, he also knew it was time for a big change. PPX becomes the owner of the rights to the Legal Sea Foods name for the restaurants, but the general manager of the legal department, Roger Berkowitz, whose family opened the chain in 1968, retains the rights to the name of his online company, which sells seafood (fresh and prepared), chowders, t-shirts, kitchen utensils, gift cards, etc. The COVID-19 pandemic — and the resulting significant losses to Legal and most other restaurants — forced Berkowitz to rethink the future of the business and consider selling the restaurant portion of the business. A few months ago, rumors circulated that Berkowitz, whose grandfather founded the seafood business in 1950 as a fish market in Cambridge, Massachusetts, might sell the popular mid-priced chain that opened its first restaurant in 1968 to PPX Hospitality Brands, a new offshoot of Danu Partners.
an Irish investment company based in Medford, Massachusetts. Although financial terms are not publicly disclosed, this transaction was closed today, both parties confirm. While Legal has been selling products like the popular clam chowder retail and online for years, Berkowitz is excited to “spend a lot more time” growing sales through these channels. At the beginning of January, mussel chowder begins on the QVC teleshopping network. In January 2011, Legal Sea Foods sponsored a dinner featuring several fish species listed by the advocacy group Seafood Watch as those that should be avoided for sustainability reasons. [52] Roger Berkowitz, CEO of Legal Sea Foods, said in a statement that much of the science surrounding sustainable fishing is “flawed” and “outdated.” [53] Although the protest was criticized by several environmental organizations, it was welcomed by others, including in the media. Representatives of Gloucester fishermen supported the decision to use fish from the area. [54] “Would I have decided to sell normally?” asked Berkowitz. “Probably not.” “We are very pleased with PPX`s history with Double R Ranch and Snake River Farms, as well as North Coast Seafoods, as we have been able to showcase them as trusted suppliers with our same commitment to quality, sustainability and freshness,” said Lapine. Despite Legal`s apparent success and ubiquity – before the pandemic hit, it operated 33 locations, employed 3,500 people, and generated $200 million in annual revenue – it struggled to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. Berkowitz, who at one point was considering finding an investment partner to save his business, told the Globe he wouldn`t sell legal seafood if the pandemic had never happened.
Contacted by phone, Jalbert declined to comment on the amount of money owed to unsecured creditors, who are always the last to pay when a company is insolvent. Legal Sea Foods is an institution in his hometown of Boston and the East Coast regions. The concept began as a food service supplement at the George Berkowitz fish processing facility and market. For ease of use, the full-service restaurant asked customers to pay for their meal when ordering, not after consumption. Instead of spending money on real light fixtures, Berkowtiz Sr. placed brown paper bags on bare light bulbs hanging above the tables. “People will continue to eat, but methods may change,” he adds. “There will always be room for restaurants. There may not be as much space for all the restaurants as we had before. I was told that when the deal with PPX was finalized, the directors and officers of Old Legal resigned and – as agreed by the seller`s, buyer`s and secured creditors` lawyers – Jalbert was appointed as a sole director and director of the shell company.
