AquaPri – a family business

1900 

It all begins when a determined 14-year-old Dane named Anders Priess decides to take charge of his future and sets up his own company in the fishing port of Glyngøre. Because he is so young, his mother formally owns the company, which is named "Priess & Co". Anders trades in fish he buys from local fishermen. The older traders resent the competition and make it very clear: one competitor slaps him across the face and throws him into the water, saying "We don't want children buying up our fish around here." Anders keeps going, and over the years his business flourishes.

1930s

Anders passes his determination and business skills on to his sons, Henning and Tage, who join the company and eventually take over from their father. By then, Priess & Co has expanded into many kinds of seafood.

1958

As the next generation takes over, the business is split into two companies. Henning takes over Priess & Co, and Tage continues to develop "Glyngøre" and the "Limfjord Company" (started in 1933). "Glyngøre" is still one of the strongest seafood brands in Denmark.

1959 and 1967

Henning's sons, Anders and Nels, follow their father into the family business; Anders in 1959, aged 23, and Nels in 1967, starting up Frederiksværk Aalexport at the age of 20. After selling Priess & Co in 1991, Anders starts up "AquaPri Denmark A/S". Since 2012, the two companies have used the brand "AquaPri" for all products sold by both companies.

1959

AquaPri (named Priess & Co until 1991) starts trout farming operations alongside its main activities of trading and processing.

1991

The company makes the decision to fully focus on aquaculture and is renamed "AquaPri".

2012

The cousins Henning and Morten Priess formally take over ownership of the company, becoming the fourth generation of the family to run it.

Families joining forces

1 October 2024

The Priess family and the van der Wees family join forces. Alexandre van der Wees becomes CEO and majority shareholder of AquaPri A/S. His career bridges finance and aquaculture, and he is driven by a passion for fish farming. Together, the two families bring more than a century of aquaculture heritage and a passion for premium seafood.

1 March 2025

AquaPri A/S and AquaPri Denmark merge into one company, AquaPri ApS, with its headquarters in Vejle.

Today

• AquaPri produces more than 6,000 tonnes of trout and 400 tonnes of pike-perch every year.
• The company is led by Morten Priess and Alexandre van der Wees. Henning Priess sits on the Board of Directors.

Morten Priess (left), Alexandre van der Wees and Henning Priess (right)

Photos from the good old days

It all began in Glyngøre in the year 1900...

Heads cut off (above) before filling into cans (below). Smoking brisling (to the right).

Tuna fishing in the 50's.

 
Fishing for oysters.

Danish fishing boats on a long trip to the Canary Islands (above). 
Listening to Danish radio programs from the Canary Islands (below).