Latest news with #Luke'sLobster
Eater
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
How to Spend a Food-Filled Weekend in Portland, Maine
Nationally acclaimed dining destination Portland, Maine, is about two hours from Boston, whether you take Amtrak's Downeaster from North Station, the Concord Coach bus from South Station, or drive, making it the ideal getaway for a food-packed weekend. If you only have a weekend to spend in Portland, the following itinerary serves to complement our list of essential restaurants, providing a choose-your-own-adventure insider's guide to painting the town lobster red. Friday 11 a.m.: Begin with brunch Portland's brunch game has never been stronger, making it the perfect meal to start a weekend of ambitious eating. At Ocotillo, the West End sibling to the East End's popular barbecue spot, Terlingua, find solace on the quiet back patio or grab a comfy circular booth upholstered with rust red velvet. Ocotillo channels Tex-Mex into brunch standouts like a smoked brisket hash with poached eggs and house hollandaise and buttermilk-masa pancakes decked with caramelized pineapple syrup, hibiscus sugar, and maple sea salt butter served alongside refreshing morning beverages like the bright green, herbaceous Verdita-rita. As you move on, grab something for the road from James Beard Award-winning Zu Bakery next door. Alternative: Start your day at Dutch's, whose cafeteria-like space belies the quality of crispy hash browns and housemade baked goods that elevate hits like chicken thigh biscuits smothered in sausage gravy and bluebarb pie doughnuts. Securing a ham and cheese croissant from Zu Bakery. Erika Adams/Eater Boston Once you're temporarily sated, it's time for some culture. Head to the Maine Historical Society and the Wadsworth-Longfellow House for thoughtful exhibitions like Stitches, an exploration of 19th-century Maine quilting traditions; the Victoria Mansion for a tour of an elaborate pre-civil war home; or the Portland Museum of Art for the state's oldest and largest public art collection, including works by American landscape artist and former Maine resident Winslow Homer. 1 p.m.: Get cultured Along the walk, shop for art and vintage finds at dozens of local storefronts like Weekend Vintage, the Merchant Company, and Soleil, a gift shop that houses a vending machine for collectible $1 mini food prints by Portland's Anastasia Inciardi. 4 p.m.: Take a lobster break If you come to Maine, you've got to eat lobster. Dive into a new favorite like Highroller Lobster Co.'s Lobby Pop TM — a cornbread-battered lobster tail on a stick — or chef Mimi Weissenborn's rich yet airy lobster popover at Sur Lie. If you're in the mood for a more traditional lobster roll experience on the working waterfront, head to Luke's Lobster for rolls with a captivating view, or have a seat at low-key institution Becky's Diner for a fresh-shucked quarter-pounder — there's nothin' finah, as the local saying goes. While in Maine! Jenny Bravo Photography/Luke's Lobster 6 p.m.: Get a pre-dinner drink At Jewel Box, bartender and owner Nathanial 'Nan'l' Meiklejohn creates an atmosphere of comfort and delight that attracts a crowd of artists, queer folks, and bon vivants — people with open minds and good taste. Amid curated grandma-core and a dreamy wall mural, the creative cocktails and playlists always hit. Order a drink like the Lovers, a blend of fenugreek and coconut rums, lime juice, cane sugar syrup, and Bluet, Maine blueberry sparkling wine. Alternative: Hit up Cuties, a new all-day spot from the cunning minds behind renowned high-low cocktail dive Room for Improvement. Cuties focuses on low-intervention wines by the glass or in some cases as a sidecar, like the pet-nat that accompanies the Pornstar Martinez, a clarified passionfruit number featuring Old Tom gin and vermouths. 7 p.m.: Go to dinner Portland's bakery and brunch darling Bread & Friends is now a winner for dinner as well. Expect a tight menu with seasonal dishes like grilled radicchio with black vinegar XO sauce and Bayley Hazen blue cheese on housemade marble rye crostini, consommé with collard greens and mascarpone tortellini decked in country ham and peas, and dry-aged duck with plum chutney. End the meal with a dreamy orange creamsicle soda made in-house, or a glass of A7 Americano, an aromatized wild Maine blueberry wine infused with herbs and fortified with brandy, from R.A.S. Alternative: Opt for an evening of pizza and natural wine at cool, casual Friends & Family. Start the night with a jamón tower for the table, of course. A brunch plate at Bread & Friends. Erika Adams/Eater Boston 9 p.m.: Post-dinner games After dinner, it's free to enter Arcadia National Bar's Skee-Ball tournament, or you can pump quarters into retro pinball and arcade cabinets while enjoying late-night bites like mushroom-topped pizza and beers from Oxbow and Sacred Profane. The cocktails here, crafted by co-owner Nicole Costas-Rosa, are some of the city's sleeper hits — try the mezcal- and watermelon-forward Pink Pony Club. Alternative: Have a nightcap at the Scandinavian-style cocktail bar that helped launch Portland's cocktail scene in the mid-2010s: Portland Hunt + Alpine Club. The spicy, smoky Bone Crusher is a perennial favorite. Saturday 9:30 a.m.: Grab a bite before the farmers market 11:30 a.m.: Get out on Casco Bay One of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to get off the Portland peninsula and out on the water is with the Mailboat ferry, a scenic ride to the islands of Casco Bay. Get off at Peaks Island for BYOB wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza served al fresco at Il Leone, or head to Great Diamond Island's Crown Jewel, a bright and airy bistro that nods to the tropics with dishes like corn agnolotti featuring Maine crab and seared whitefish with salsa verde. Alternative: Board the 74-foot-tall ship Frances, a historic replica built and captained by Megan Jones, for a Wine Wise Wine Sail with curated tastings led by gregarious sommelier Erica Archer. Portland's downtown waterfront. Erika Adams/Eater Boston 3 p.m.: Shop the waterfront and have a little treat 5 p.m.: Break for happy hour At Papi on Exchange Street, the cocktail and food menus sing with Puerto Rican flavors. For a late afternoon pick-me-up, try the Carajillo — Licor 43 and Italian espresso shaken over ice — and don't miss food specials like the jibarito, a panko-crusted chicken cutlet dressed and sandwiched between fried green plantains. Alternative: Head to the intimate, 20-seat Argentine Bodegón-influenced Franciska Wine Bar, whose menu highlights small-grower South American producers. 7 p.m.: Have dinner On Congress Street, check out Benny's, the buzzy new restaurant from Josh Sobel of Philadelphia-style sandwich shop Ramona's. Here, Sobel again wins hearts and stomachs with his homage to Philly's Italian American heritage, from the portraits of celebrities like Sylvester Stallone on the wall above the long banquet to menu classics like eggplant parm, cheesesteak, and linguini and clams with long hot peppers alongside cocktails like the Balboa, featuring bourbon, amaretto, and citrus topped with a pink Lambrusco-Scotch foam. Alternative: Go for well-seasoned garlic greens and dry-aged pork katsu sandos stuffed with fried Brussels sprouts and slathered in charred scallion mayo at family-owned izakaya Mami. Benny's. Heidi Kirn/Benny's Sunday 9:30 a.m.: Coffee time Stop into Speckled Ax Wood Coffee Roasters for an Early Riser medium roast. Try it with a Grand Trunk breakfast sandwich stacked with housemade hash browns, green tomato chutney, kewpie mayo, Gruyère cheese, and an egg on a Portuguese muffin made by chef Carlos Duarte, previously of Prentice Hospitality. Alternative: Grab an olive oil brioche sticky bun swirled with brown butter and cinnamon and glazed with orange cream alongside an iced malt cold brew at Tandem Coffee. 11 a.m.: Check out the East End The East End used to be a quiet area populated largely by under-the-radar neighborhood spots like pupusería Tu Casa and old-school Italian goods purveyor Micucci Grocery Co. That changed in the 2010s with the arrival of food and beverage perfectionists like Rising Tide and other craft breweries in East Bayside, Maine & Loire, a pioneering natural wine shop on Washington Avenue, and the Portland Food Co-op on Congress Street for largely local groceries and snacks. Now, you could spend all day bopping from one banger to another without breaking a sweat: Onggi Ferments for all things aged and preserved; Root Wild for unbeatable kombucha; Rabelais for antique food books; Oxbow for funky beer and fries via Duckfat Frites Shack; Anoche for hard cider; Sissle and Daughters for cheese, wine, and everything else you'd serve for girl dinner; and the list goes on. 1:30 p.m.: Slip over to South Portland Formerly an underwhelming collection of strip malls, Knightville has finally glowed up into one of Portland's buzziest neighborhoods. (Okay, it's technically in South Portland across the Casco Bay Bridge, but regardless, it's a Portland-area hot spot.) Stop here on your way back south for Japanese-style bar fare and beers from a Maine Brewing Co. alum at the Send Brewing Co., impeccable breads from Night Moves, a glass of Maine's own Oyster River Winegrowers Morphos pet-nat with views of Portland proper from across the water at Lambs, and some of the country's best seafood at SoPo Seafood market and raw bar. Where to Stay Get a good night's sleep at the 48-room Longfellow Hotel, Portland's first independently owned full-service hotel in decades. Longfellow highlights neighborhood contributors such as Ugly Duckling for pastries, and Siobhán and Mike Sindoni of Wayside Tavern run the bar program. Alternatively, check into the 135-room, six-story Canopy by Hilton Portland Waterfront, home to Luna, the city's only indoor/outdoor rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking Casco Bay. Make sure to enjoy the view while sipping a slushy cocktail featuring housemade granita and Prosecco. If you want to spend extra time on the islands, stay at the Inn at Diamond Cove. This charming, family-friendly escape offers 42 rooms and suites in the former Fort McKinley military complex for easy access to the tranquil, car-light island with a semi-secret beach rich with seaglass. Eater Boston All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Miami Herald
23-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Seafood Industry Leader Luke's Lobster Closes Strategic Growth Equity Financing
PORTLAND, ME / ACCESS Newswire / June 23, 2025 / Luke's Lobster, the Certified B Corp known for its best‑in‑class, traceable, and sustainable seafood, today announced closing on a minority growth equity financing led by Relentless Consumer Partners with participation from Whole Foods Market. "Since day one, Luke's has been laser‑focused on building transparent supply chains that deliver industry leading value to the harvesters, cut out middlemen, and offer premium seafood at the best price to our customers. Our vision is to become the world's most trusted seafood company and this investment is a validation and accelerant towards achieving that mission," said Luke Holden, founder & CEO of Luke's Lobster. "Closing on this funding coming from such highly value-added investors provides significant financial resources as well as customer-facing expertise to continue growth in our restaurants, branded consumer packaged goods, and wholesale seafood lines of business." Relentless Consumer Partners, an investment firm specializing in brands who redefine the consumer experience, identified Luke's Lobster as a leader in sustainably sourced seafood and consumer loyalty, with a substantial untapped opportunity for growth. "Luke's checks every box: exceptional product quality, unwavering mission, and a passionate customer base," noted John Burns, CEO at Relentless Consumer Partners. "We're thrilled to help support Luke and the team in accelerating the next phase of growth without compromising the brand's core values." For Whole Foods Market, participation in the investment round deepens the relationship with Luke's Lobster, a longstanding supplier for the retailer who was awarded top honors in 2018 as Whole Foods Market's Supplier of the Year, and sets the stage for Luke's Lobster to continue the growth of their seafood business as a whole including across a variety of seafood species beyond lobster. "Our customers consistently look to Whole Foods Market for an unparalleled seafood selection that meets our rigorous standards for sustainability and quality, as well as our Seafood Code of Conduct," said Jennifer Coccaro, Vice President of Meat & Seafood for Whole Foods Market. "We look forward to what's next for Luke's Lobster, and continuing our longstanding collaboration with a brand that is beloved by our stores and customers." The investment capital will expand Luke's Lobster's branded consumer packaged goods product offerings and distribution footprint, support new restaurant openings around the country, and drive innovation and growth within the seafood industry as a whole. Under the terms of the transaction, Luke's current leadership team will maintain day‑to‑day operational control, while Relentless Consumer Partners and Whole Foods Market will provide strategic guidance and resources. ### About Luke's Lobster Luke's Lobster was born out of the dream of Maine native and third-generation lobsterman Luke Holden to bring the quality, affordable lobster rolls of his youth to NYC. After meeting his co-founder Ben Conniff on Craigslist, the two twenty-somethings, along with Luke's dad, Jeff Holden, who is the very first licensed lobster processor in the state of Maine opened their first lobster shack in a 250 square foot space in NYC's East Village in October 2009. Nearly 16 years later, the family business now includes Luke's brothers Bryan and Mike. In 2018, Luke's furthered their growing seafood company's commitment to sustainability and socially conscious business practices by becoming a certified B Corporation®, reflecting Luke's Lobster's deep devotion to each of its communities, its family of teammates, and the environment. Luke's is now the highest scoring B Corp Certified seafood company in the US, and in 2024 was a recipient of Travel + Leisure's Global Vision Award. Please visit for more information. About Relentless Consumer Partners Relentless acquires and invests in high-potential consumer brands, taking an active role in driving outsized shareholder returns. We have a relentless devotion to supporting entrepreneurs as they push the boundaries between passion and obsession, and we are fanatical about elevating products, services, and experiences that empower people to live better lives. For two decades we have partnered with extraordinary founders and teams to build brands that are redefining consumer experience across health, wellness, consumer healthcare, sports and fitness. For more information visit SOURCE: Luke's Lobster press release
Associated Press
23-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Seafood Industry Leader Luke's Lobster Closes Strategic Growth Equity Financing
PORTLAND, ME / ACCESS Newswire / June 23, 2025 / Luke's Lobster, the Certified B Corp known for its best‑in‑class, traceable, and sustainable seafood, today announced closing on a minority growth equity financing led by Relentless Consumer Partners with participation from Whole Foods Lobster Luke's Lobster logo 'Since day one, Luke's has been laser‑focused on building transparent supply chains that deliver industry leading value to the harvesters, cut out middlemen, and offer premium seafood at the best price to our customers. Our vision is to become the world's most trusted seafood company and this investment is a validation and accelerant towards achieving that mission,' said Luke Holden, founder & CEO of Luke's Lobster. 'Closing on this funding coming from such highly value-added investors provides significant financial resources as well as customer-facing expertise to continue growth in our restaurants, branded consumer packaged goods, and wholesale seafood lines of business.' Relentless Consumer Partners, an investment firm specializing in brands who redefine the consumer experience, identified Luke's Lobster as a leader in sustainably sourced seafood and consumer loyalty, with a substantial untapped opportunity for growth. 'Luke's checks every box: exceptional product quality, unwavering mission, and a passionate customer base,' noted John Burns, CEO at Relentless Consumer Partners. 'We're thrilled to help support Luke and the team in accelerating the next phase of growth without compromising the brand's core values.' For Whole Foods Market, participation in the investment round deepens the relationship with Luke's Lobster, a longstanding supplier for the retailer who was awarded top honors in 2018 as Whole Foods Market's Supplier of the Year, and sets the stage for Luke's Lobster to continue the growth of their seafood business as a whole including across a variety of seafood species beyond lobster. 'Our customers consistently look to Whole Foods Market for an unparalleled seafood selection that meets our rigorous standards for sustainability and quality, as well as our Seafood Code of Conduct,' said Jennifer Coccaro, Vice President of Meat & Seafood for Whole Foods Market. 'We look forward to what's next for Luke's Lobster, and continuing our longstanding collaboration with a brand that is beloved by our stores and customers.' The investment capital will expand Luke's Lobster's branded consumer packaged goods product offerings and distribution footprint, support new restaurant openings around the country, and drive innovation and growth within the seafood industry as a whole. Under the terms of the transaction, Luke's current leadership team will maintain day‑to‑day operational control, while Relentless Consumer Partners and Whole Foods Market will provide strategic guidance and resources. ### About Luke's Lobster Luke's Lobster was born out of the dream of Maine native and third-generation lobsterman Luke Holden to bring the quality, affordable lobster rolls of his youth to NYC. After meeting his co-founder Ben Conniff on Craigslist, the two twenty-somethings, along with Luke's dad, Jeff Holden, who is the very first licensed lobster processor in the state of Maine opened their first lobster shack in a 250 square foot space in NYC's East Village in October 2009. Nearly 16 years later, the family business now includes Luke's brothers Bryan and Mike. In 2018, Luke's furthered their growing seafood company's commitment to sustainability and socially conscious business practices by becoming a certified B Corporation®, reflecting Luke's Lobster's deep devotion to each of its communities, its family of teammates, and the environment. Luke's is now the highest scoring B Corp Certified seafood company in the US, and in 2024 was a recipient of Travel + Leisure's Global Vision Award. Please visit for more information. About Relentless Consumer Partners Relentless acquires and invests in high-potential consumer brands, taking an active role in driving outsized shareholder returns. We have a relentless devotion to supporting entrepreneurs as they push the boundaries between passion and obsession, and we are fanatical about elevating products, services, and experiences that empower people to live better lives. For two decades we have partnered with extraordinary founders and teams to build brands that are redefining consumer experience across health, wellness, consumer healthcare, sports and fitness. For more information visit Contact InformationCarla Tracy PR/Communications 646-591-7126 SOURCE: Luke's Lobster press release
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The New Fridge and Freezer Products in Grocery Stores This Year
Keep a stash of our tester-selected PEOPLE Food Awards picks on hand for those times when you need to get food on the table fast. Make restaurant-approved ravioli (hi, Luke's Lobster!) or try a umami-rich frozen pizza that got five stars from a staffer. Whichever of the five winners you choose, we guarantee your family will be asking for seconds. Mings Spicy Dan Dan Noodles Tossed with ground chicken and a 'mildly spicy and mouth-tingly' Szechuan-style red sauce, the Chinese-inspired dish was a hit with even our most takeout-reliant staffers. Buy it! $5, Deep Indian Kitchen Momo Dumplings Chicken Tikka Masala Plump parcels are stuffed with white-meat chicken marinated in tomato and spices, and come with a cilantro chutney for dipping. Buy it! $7, Farmer's Fridge Turkey Cobb Salad 'I looked forward to this lunch every day,' a reviewer said about the individually bottled mixes with chopped smoked turkey, hard-boiled egg, charred corn, sunflower seeds and zesty ranch dressing. Buy it! $10, Luke's Lobster Ravioli with Vodka Sauce The single-serve tray of delicate lobster-and-ricotta-filled pasta needs only 4 minutes in the microwave or 30 minutes in the oven. Buy it! $9, Whole Foods Market Mushroom & Truffle Wood-Fired Pizza The Neapolitan-style crust stays fluffy beneath a hefty pile of cremini and portobello mushrooms, mozzarella and creamy garlic sauce. Buy it! $7, Read the original article on People
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How the CFO of Luke's Lobster pries open the claws gripping his working capital
This story was originally published on To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily newsletter. Steve Song, CFO of Luke's Lobster, has a role that requires a unique combination of industry knowledge, working capital expertise, vendor relationships and a love for the job. The ins and outs of his company's business, like lobster migration patterns for example, weren't covered at Columbia or during his career in private equity before he took on the CFO role at one of the largest and most popular sea-to-table seafood producers in the United States. However, the operational and financial demands of this type of business require a high level of understanding of these crucial factors by financial leadership in order for the business to survive. Now that he has just over nine years at the company, Song has led the way in growth from both a sustainability perspective and a financial standpoint. The company is a certified B Corporation, has won accolades including Whole Foods Supplier of the year in 2018 and has expanded a restaurant chain internationally selling Maine and Canadian lobster and other seafood products. The working capital intensity of the business is paramount, and as Song puts it, 'Cash is king in this business.' Managing this structure and the outside influences that dictate it has created an environment that the former private equity manager says he could find 'nowhere on Wall Street' that matches the energy and passion he has for his job now. Although the work is intense, Song credits his ability and tenure to having a hands-on impact on growth, combined with a stellar finance team and leadership group that has created a mission to not just sell lobster on a global scale but do so in a way that preaches an authentic and visibly impactful version of sustainability. CFO, Luke's Lobster First CFO Position: 2016 Notable previous employers: Eden Capital Partners Altpoint Capital Partners Magnetar Capital JPMorgan This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. STEVE SONG: The challenge with the global seafood industry is that there's always been a lot of distrust, mislabeling, shortcuts and people who don't always do the right thing, and as a company, we try to market ourselves in every aspect of our business as being genuine and authentic. Fortunately, the lobster industry in Maine and Canada has laws and regulations that prioritize sustainability that we use as a foundation, but the self-governing body of the lobster fishermen community is the essence of the industry and what allows us to scale the business sustainably. Lobsters are caught on boats that are privately owned by independent fishermen, who abide by regulations on lobsters, like females with eggs are required to be thrown back into the water. If they are too small or too big, they are also returned because they have a higher potential to reproduce. Furthermore, in Maine for example, lobster licenses are only allowed to be held by private citizens, so although we try to get involved in as much of the supply chain as we can, our company does not own any boats or do any fishing ourselves. This is where the business can get tricky on the finance side of things. The lobster supply chain can be incredibly capital-intensive, and cash is the oxygen to any business, so this part of the job is crucial for me. There's an industry standard that we abide by to pay lobster fishermen for their catch within three days, many of whom would want to be paid in cash if possible. So even if our P&L says we're making money, we need lots of cash to keep the supply of products coming into the business. As most can imagine, our working capital cycle is much longer than three days. We have to process, package and distribute the lobsters, so that ties up capital because we are paying our suppliers in real time but getting paid by our customers at a variety of times, depending on how we distribute any given order, but at the very earliest between two weeks and a month. Furthermore, we have to build up inventory at times when the lobster catches are lower volume during the off-season, which further ties up capital. Most companies who don't understand cash flow will focus on optimizing throughput volumes in their facility, but they can quickly run into illiquidity issues. For us, that would look like full freezers of inventory but no cash. That would be game over. SONG: Yes. Some fishermen want actual cash, but our partners will take a paper check because they've learned to trust that we'll pay our bills. ACH has slowly become more acceptable among some fishermen, and some may be beginning to be okay with being paid on terms, but there is a historical nature of lobster buyers being nefarious and dubious and treating the fishermen poorly. There is a collective mindset around them that they don't trust those they don't know, and that's partly why we've worked hard to create authentic relationships with these people and prioritize treating them right. SONG: There is a lot within this business, and this is why I enjoy it because there are so many moving parts and elements. Forecasting is primarily focused on the seasonality of our business. The Canadian lobster season runs from May to the end of June then the Maine lobster season runs from roughly July to December. So from May to December, we're paying out fishermen collectively about $1 million a week and building up inventory for the restaurants that are active all year round. Then during the lobster harvest offseason, around January to May, we sell down our stocks of inventory and use that cash to pay off our line of credit so we can do it again next May and grow the business from there each year. On the restaurant side of the business, our sales peak between Memorial Day to Columbus Day. That period accounts for about 70% of our restaurant sales for the year so there's that layer of seasonality that is slightly off-cycle to the live lobster harvest seasonality. SONG: We've been fortunate to have partner banks that understand the cycle of our business and our working capital situation, so we've had a line of credit from two of the same banks for my entire time here. The relationship has been amazing. We've grown together as businesses. We brought on some private equity nearly nine years ago to help accelerate the restaurant side's new location growth, only because the unit economics with return on investment are just so compelling so having equity fund that initiative made sense. I think what's important here is we've been able to prove that as long as we smartly manage our cash, we can grow our restaurant business, which then accelerates the demand for more lobster and supports our grocery business, which then drives a need for us to buy more lobster, and so the business grows. SONG: I come from a private equity background, so my playbook is about streamlining and making things more efficient. We've streamlined everything over the years — it's an ongoing process — from things like our data efficiency to technology to our onboarding time of new systems and people alike because early on, a lot of our processes were based on memory or intuition from the company's initial startup days. For example, we had a restaurant location in Boston on Exeter Street, and sometimes we would refer to that location as Boston, sometimes as Back Bay, sometimes as Exeter, and it would confuse people as we brought new hires on board and created issues. So we gave all our locations a fixed number and set standard nomenclature across the business. I am very big on precise and consistent names for things within the organization so that our team can communicate more effectively. That's just a basic example of a small detail on a long list of improvements that helped us get to today — we're now able to close our monthly books within four days with tight accuracy whereas it would be 20 to 30 days when I first joined. SONG: Given my background, I took those responsibilities on as we had banks and investors requesting data in certain ways they're accustomed to. We have great accountants, but they didn't necessarily know how to project, budget and analyze and we already had them fully loaded up within the accounting function. I'm looking for someone who likes diving into haystacks in case there might be a needle in there and find some insights that will help us make smarter business decisions. That being said, in recent years what I've done is I've asked my entire accounting team to level up and learn new skills because I think the traditional bookkeeper role is going to be obsolete in five years. Our team has been growing in areas like data analysis, team development, project management and presenting financial data to non-accounting people. But there also came a point where I realized that if I were to get hit by a bus tomorrow, there was a bit of a skill gap here, so I am looking for someone who can be a potential part of the succession plan, and perhaps someone who also can teach me a few things too. SONG: I tell our team candidly, I will help you go public, but afterward, you have to hand it over to someone else, because I don't have a desire to be a small-cap public company CFO right now. I like growing businesses by working with our teams internally and I don't want to spend my days talking to research analysts who oversimply complex things into the same three KPIs and opine on the outlook of my stock price based upon my tone of voice on an earnings call. I love our business here, the way we've grown it, and the people I've done it with. Our goal now is to continue to lead the way in providing the best lobster to consumers through all the different areas of our business. Recommended Reading How Chipotle's new CFO Adam Rymer is rolling out a plan for success
